Zeito Ship Challenge
by BloodyVocaloid
Summary: A series of short drabbles of fluff stories between Zeito Shion and his brothers
1. Taito

Taito ground his teeth together as he continued to watch his master talk to the stranger she had just met in the grocery store. They were talking like they had known each other for years. The slight blush on his master's face was apparent for all to see that she was enjoying the attention.

Taito didn't understand! He treated her like this everyday! His master never blushed as adorably for him as she was now for this random person she had just met!

Zeito squeezed Taito's shoulder tighter trying to keep him with reality, but it wasn't working...

"Hey. Do you own any Vocaloids?" The stranger asked. "I just bought one a while ago. They're great aren't they?"

"Um...well" The Master looked around trying to think of words to form her sentence "I own a couple of Kaito models"

"Oh wow! Kaito?!" The stranger asked in disbelief. "I heard there's a famous artist who lives around here who owns the whole Shion family! That isn't you is it?"

The master giggled.

SHE GIGGLED!

SHE GIGGLED FOR A STRANGER!

"Y-yeah. That's me" she said shyly.

"W-wow! Hey...I don't suppose you'd be willing to go out to dinner with me would you?"

Something in Taito snapped at that and he lunged not even waiting to hear his master's response. However, Zeito had been waiting for this action and already had Taito's scarf in a vice grip. Taito was yanked back as quickly as he had lunged.

Before Master's nice time with the stranger could be ruined Zeito put his hand over Taito's mouth and pulled him around the corner of the aisle the two had been standing by.

The two struggled in the canned soup section for a good couple of seconds, before Taito rounded his anger on Zeito, just like he did EVERY time this happened.

Zeito was slammed into the shelves knocking heavy cans of soup everywhere and scaring a few people out of the aisle.

Zeito went to reach in his pocket for his yo-yo's but Taito was used to this dance they danced and had been waiting for this action.

Zeito looked down for a split second to reach into his pocket. The moment he looked up he was smashed in the face with a heavy can of soup. Zeito smashed back into the shelf he had just recovered from. Soup rained down upon him as Zeito hit the ground.

However, like Taito, Zeito had danced this dance. He always knew what Taito did when he thought he had the upper hand.

Zeito put his hands over his head and executed a flawless back flip as Taito just missed him with his infamous icepick.

The sight, if witnessed, was a sight to behold. The two ran through the super market, scaring the hell out of people they ran past and into. Taito was screaming in rage making slash after slash at Zeito with his icepick as Zeito just dodged his ministration.

Zeito jumped out of the way of Taito and the crazed yandere smashed into a shelf so hard that the shelf began to teeter and tip.

The moment the customers of the super market heard the smashes and crashes of the grocery shelves turning into dominoes, the whole store was in chaos. Screaming and panicked customers began to run this way and that.

The glass doors that held Kaito's favorite ice cream were shattered open as Zeito was tackled by Taito. Glass flew this way and that, but they merely provided more weapons for Taito.

Picking up a rather long and jagged piece that landed near his hand, Taito proceeded to try and stab Zeito's face. Zeito moved his head out of the way just in time before pushing Taito off of him and into the Cereal box shelf.

Zeito was forced to dodge another stab attempt from Taito's icepick before he took off running. Taito snarled and grabbed a knife as the two ran past the kitchen supplies.

Zeito gasped at the sharp pain. He tripped over his own feet as he skid to the floor with the knife Taito had thrown embedded in his back.

Zeito looked up glancing around the store for cover.

The store was a mess, and he could see a few fires burning from things the knocked over shelves had hit. The few people that were still in the store was desperately running out.

Zeito choked as he was picked up by his scarf. Taito screamed in rage as he swung Zeito around and around picking up momentum before he finally hurled his brother towards the glass doors of the entrance.

A few people standing outside the store wondering why everyone was running out all screamed as the already bloodied Vocaloid came smashing though the front doors.

Zeito skid out the front entrance and nearly as far as the parking lot. A large trail of blood tracing where he had hit the ground.

Another scream of anger and Taito was on top of Zeito. Taito's icepick gleamed in the sun momentarily before it was brought down to claim the blood it had been thirsting for all day.

Zeito's eyes widened, his mouth opened, his back even arched in pain, but no sound came from his mouth as the icepick embedded itself into his shoulder. Taito's eyes only glowed brighter and his insane smile widened.

The icepick was pulled out only to be brought down once again this time in the opposite arm.

"COME ON ZEITO!" Taito screamed as his brother's blood splattered onto his face,

"SCREAM! I KNOW YOU CAN!" Taito stabbed again and again making sure not to hit anything vital so Zeito could feel everything.

Zeito struggled, he pulled he tried to get away from the icepick's point, but Taito had him pinned to the ground securely.

"DO IT! SCREAM!"

Zeito closed his eyes hoping the pain would stop. He knew Taito wasn't aiming for his vitals. Taito was sadistic like that. He liked to bleed his victims out instead of killing them instantly. Sad to say, Zeito was afraid that's what might happen to him. There was a loud ringing in his ears as the icepick struck him again and again.

Things went black momentarily and Zeito wondered if Taito had gotten bored of the lack of sound coming from Zeito and had finally just struck something important.

Something warm hit Zeito's cheek bringing him back to reality. Zeito blinked and felt the substance on his cheek was liquid. His eyes wandered up to the purple Shion still sitting atop him.

"Why..." Taito asked as tears streamed down his cheeks and continued to hit Zeito.

"Why don't you ever fight back?!"

Zeito gasped one final time as the icepick was roughly pulled out of his shoulder.

"I'm always hurting you." Taito sobbed as his red eyes slowly dulled back to purple.

"You always fight me and hold me back, but you never hurt me!"

Taito grabbed Zeito's bloody coat and brought Zeito to eye level with him.

"I know you know how to fight" Taito whimpered "So why haven't you just killed me yet?"

Zeito watched in disbelief as Taito just held him and cried. Taito was always the strong and silent type very similar to Zeito, It was rare to see Taito in such a vulnerable state.

It hurt to move any part of his body, and his entire nervous system screamed in protest as Zeito brought a hand up and placed it atop Taito's head.

"We're brothers..." he managed to say weakly.

This only made Taito's eyes tear up even more. He grabbed Zeito's chest and began to scream. Zeito didn't know what else to do but hold him.

"WHY DOESN'T SHE LOVE ME ZEITO?!" Taito screamed into Zeito's chest.

"I TRY SO HARD! I GIVE HER EVERYTHING! WHY DOESN'T SHE LOVE ME?!"

For some reason Taito's crying face made Zeito smile. His face was covered with gothic makeup and blood but he still managed to smile.

Zeito opened his mouth to speak.

"FREEZE!"

Zeito's head snapped up before he could say anything. The were surrounded by police cars, and...SWAT vans? Looks like their ruckus had caught some unwanted attention.

"GET UP OFF THE GROUND AND RAISE YOURS ARMS SLOWLY ABOVE YOUR HEAD" a police officer yelled at them through a megaphone. Zeito looked around, they had dozen's of guns trained on them. If they were to make any sudden movements. They were dead.

"Let them take me" Taito continued to sob into Zeito's chest. "Better yet. Let them shoot me. I don't want to live anymore"

Zeito growled at the comment and stood up much to Taito's surprise.

Despite the blood that ran from all his wounds, Zeito had just stood up with Taito under his arm.

"I SAID FREEZE!"

But Zeito had already taken off.

The air was filled with the sound of gunshots as Taito screamed at Zeito to put him down and leave him behind.

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"OMG! I KNOW!" The Master screamed into the phone later that day. "NO! I WAS ACTUALLY IN THAT STORE!"

She said turning back to the TV watching the live news broadcast.

"Yeah! I was shopping with Zeito and Taito when I suddenly heard crashing. Luckily we got out. But can you believe it?! They say it was two crazed vocaloids. They were never caught!"

Taito listened to his master rant and rave over the phone like there was no tomorrow.

"No. Zeito, Taito and I are okay. We all got out in time and met back at my place. I hope they catch whoever did it though"

Taito smiled. He wondered when he and Zeito would dance again. They always did. It was only a matter of time. He looked over at Zeito standing in the corner. Zeito looked over at him.

Taito just winked to which Zeito just smiled.


	2. Kageito

Kaito looked down at the small pink letter in his hands. He turned it over multiple times to make sure it was really addressed to him. There was no doubt about it. This was a real love letter. And it was addressed to him!

Kaito thought hard trying to recall what Miku's handwriting looked like. It was possible the cute lettering on the front could have been hers. He couldn't tell.

With shaking fingers, Kaito slowly brought his hands up to tear open the envelope.

"MAN! Are you going to open this or NOT?!" Akaito interjected swiping the love letter from Kaito's grasp.

"H-hey!" Kaito yelled out trying to take back his letter "That's mine!"

"Ooooh! Is this a LOVE letter?!" Akaito asked holding the letter out of Kaito's reach. "Who would address a love letter to YOU?!"

"That's none of your business!" Kaito yelled angrily still trying to grab at the letter.

"PFFFT! You're hoping MIKU wrote it aren't you?! Puh-lease! You know that girl is more interested in me!"

"GRAH!" Kaito tackled Akaito in an attempt to reach the love letter. Akaito yelled in surprise as the love letter flew out of his hand and onto the floor, but his shocked expression soon turned into a smirk as he laughed at Kaito's bold challenge.

The two wrestled playfully through the living room knocking over a multitude of things in the process. It only took a few minutes to reveal that Akaito had the upper hand in the match. After a small while, Akaito wrapped his arm over Kaito neck and secured his brother into a head lock.

"GRR! LET GO!" Kaito yelled furiously.

"And what if I don't?!" Akaito growled playfully as he noogied the top of his brother's head with the other hand.

"Akaito! I'm being serious!" Kaito said struggling to no avail. "Give me my letter!"

"I have a better idea!" Akaito said forcing Kaito to follow him as he moved. "Instead why don't we have y-"

Akaito was interrupted suddenly as something violently grabbed him around the neck and ripped him off of Kaito.

Kaito yelled in shock as he hit the ground painfully. He blinked wondering what in the hell had happened. Swinging around to look behind him, his eyes widened in horror.

Standing behind him was a small boy that Kaito only knew too well. It was Kageito, his demonic shadow. Kageito was looking down at Kaito brightly with an adorable smile on his face. However it was not Kageito's face that Kaito was looking at. It was Kageito's scarf that was terrifying him.

The end of Kageito's scarf were shaped like hands. It was no secret that Kageito's scarf moved on it's own with no help of the wind. No one knew if Kageito controlled his scarf or if the scarf was a completely separate entity with a mind of it's own.

Akaito choked and gasped as he kicked his legs trying to free himself from the shadow scarf's grasp. The scarf held Akaito high in the air, suspending him by nothing other than Akaito's neck.

"What cha playing?" Kageito asked innocently down at Kaito. "It looks fun! I wanna play too!"

"K-K-Kageito!" Kaito gasped in fear scrambling to his feat. "Put Akaito down! You're hurting him!"

Kageito blinked confused .

"Hurting him?" Kageito asked quizzically looking up at Akaito. "But I'm just doing exactly what he was doing to you"

The red Shion made gagging sounds as he pulled at the scarf desperately trying to get it to release his neck.

"Look!" Kageito said gleefully. "He even has the exact same expression you had on your face when he was doing it to you!"

"Kageito NO!" Kaito said loudly making the shadow Shion jump in surprise. "You need to put him down right now!"

Kageito looked at Kaito fearfully wondering what he was doing wrong. He was positive he had seen Akaito grab Kaito around the neck and the two play about. Why was Kaito angry with him? He was just playing as they had...

Kageito blinked suddenly as the realization dawned on him.

"Oh! I GET it!" He said excitedly now very proud of myself. "Saying no is part of the game!"

Kageito's grin became so wide that Kaito could swear that it put Taito's crazed yandere smile to shame.

A cold dread shot through Kaito's system as he heard Akaito try to scream in pain as the hand began to slowly crush his neck. However, the only sound Akaito could manage was a high pitched gurgling sound as drool began to slip past his lips.

"KAGEITO PLEASE PUT HIM DOWN!" Kaito screamed in panic as he watched his brother's life being drained before him.

"And what if I don't?" Kageito laughed as he copied what Akaito had said to Kaito when Kaito had been screaming at Akaito to let him go.

"KAGEITO! KAGEITO STOP!" Kaito had always been terrified of Kageito. He knew the small Shion was playful and innocent, but he had spawned from his shadow. He didn't know what were to happen if he were to touch Kageito's scarf. The two were polar opposites. Would matter touching anti-matter cease to be?

Akaito gave out one last pained cry before his struggling began to get weaker. Suddenly, Kaito didn't care what happened if he touched Kageito's scarf. He couldn't just stand back and watch!

"A-Akaito!" Kaito screamed lunging at the scarf hand that was killing his brother. Kageito blinked, wondering how the rules of this game were played, but it seemed his scarf was one step ahead of this game.

Kaito made a strangled yell and the second scarf hand whipped around Kageito's head and grabbed Kaito by the neck as well, slamming him into the wall.

This only made Kageito smile as he watched Kaito writhe and struggle just as the limp form of Akaito had before him.

"Haha!" Kageito laughed merrily. "I guess I'm really GOOD at this game! Ne Kaito! What do the rules say happen after thi-"

Kageito yelped in shock as his legs were violently kicked out from underneath him. The shadow Shion was not used to being touched since his scarf hands usually prevented it from happening.

Kageito fell onto his back painfully knocking the wind out of the small Shion. It didn't help in the slightest as someone violently stomped on his chest to get a point across.

Kageito blinked up at the rare enraged face of Zeito.

"That's NOT how you play the game" Zeito hissed as he glared down at Kageito. "Let them go _NOW_"

Kageito's eyes watered in fear and his scarf immediately dropped the two Shions.

Kaito coughed and Akaito began to gasp violently finally being able to take in air. Kageito payed them no mind as he couldn't take his eyes off of Zeito's glaring face.

"_Shadow_..._freak_" Akaito managed to spit out between gasping.

Zeito broke eye contact with Kageito and turned to the two Shions behind him to see if they were okay.

Kageito's eyes widened in terror as he watched one of his only friends turn his back on him. Kageito hadn't meant-! He had only-!

Kageito eyes teared up in a combination of anguish and fear. He scrambled back to his feet and ran out of the room crying.

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Kageito sniffed and wiped his eyes hours later as the sun dipped lower and lower in the sky. He hid in the shadow of the bench that he and Zeito met by every night.

Kageito didn't know why, but he had a feeling that Zeito would not be coming this night to meet with him. He wondered if Zeito would EVER come to meet with him again.

Zeito's enraged face was still fresh on his mind. He hated it. Zeito had looked at him like he was exactly what Akaito had called him. A shadow freak. That's what Kageito was.

While he still didn't understand what he had done wrong back in the living room that afternoon, he figured he must have broken some game rule. And now because of it, Zeito hated him.

Zeito was never going to visit him again. He was going to spend his nights miserable and alone as everyone slept just like he had in the beginning.

Kageito's vision only became more blurred as he sobbed into his knees remembering how lonely the beginning had been without Zeito. He couldn't stand the thought of being alone again.

The sun finally sunk all the way behind the horizon and Kageito looked around terrified.

Zeito wasn't in sight.

The two ALWAYS met before the sun disappeared . Zeito was never late! This was all the confirmation Kageito needed to see that Zeito hated him. That he was alone forevermore again.

Kageito screamed out in anguish as he rolled over on the ground slamming and kicking the gravel with his fists and feet. He just wanted to stop existing entirely. He hated this feeling of self hatred and loneliness. He didn't want to feel anymore. He just wanted to sink back into whatever shadow he came from and stop being.

Shadows didn't hate themselves. Shadows weren't lonely!

Kageito just rolled back and forth on the ground grabbing his head and sobbing. His tears made it impossible to see anything and he preferred it this way. He didn't want to see, hear, think, or feel anything ever again.

Zeito blinked down at Kageito's strange behavior. In all the times of meeting at this bench he could not recall a time when Kageito had rolled around on the ground having such a violent temper tantrum.

Was Kageito THAT upset that he had been 30 seconds late?

Zeito just crossed his arms and waited for the monochrome Shion to finish. As he shifted his weight to sit down on the bench, Kageito gasped hearing the gravel crunch.

Kageito blinked as he watched Zeito sit down.

How long had he been there? Had he been here the whole time without Kageito noticing? Could it have been that Zeito still loved him even after he broke the rules of the game?

"Zeito..." Kageito asked as his tears of anguish turned into tears of happiness.

"Zeito! Zeito! Zeito! ZEITO!" he scream as he jumped into Zeito's lap and hugged him as tight as he could, sobbing into Zeito's chest. Even Kageito's scarf was overjoyed as it joined in on the hug as well.

"You d-don't hate me!" Kageito said looking up at Zeito. Zeito just shook his head. This only made Kageito cry harder.

"Zeito please don't ever leave me! I don't want to be alone ever again! I don't want to be alone! I don't want to be alone!"

Kageito yelled as he snuggled his head into Zeito's chest. Zeito just sighed and put his hand on Kageito's head reassuringly. He knew Kageito was probably still upset from this afternoon.

The two just sat there in silence as Kageito sobbed into Zeito's chest and Zeito stroked Kageito's head.

As Kageito's sobs turned into sniffles and hiccups minutes later, Zeito smiled.

"_Never on and on I continue circling~_"

Kageito looked up as Zeito began to softly sing the first few lyrics of Zeito's favorite song, "Bad Apple".

Kageito smiled as his listened to Zeito's voice. Zeito often sung Kageito to sleep. Tonight Kageito was grateful. Despite the fact that it had only turned to night, the time when Kageito was active, Kageito had spent a good part of the day awake. His eyes were heavy from crying and he appreciated the thought of sleeping just now.

"Zeito..." he whispered on last time before he nuzzled into Zeito's lap allowing Zeito's lullaby to bring sleep upon him.


	3. Kaito

"Everyone. I have an introduction to make. This is Zeito. He's one of your newest brothers and will be living with us from now on"

The room went silent as everyone looked up from their various activities. It had been a long time since they had seen Kaito. This was the first he had appeared at the Shion estate in over a week and he had come with a new family member.

Everyone blinked up at the new Shion. He was...not at all what ANYONE was expecting. What was strange was they had heard absolutely no word that the master had been working on a new sibling. The arrival of this new Shion was absolutely unannounced and no one was quite sure how to react to it.

The Shion next to Kaito had a pristine new black and red coat very much like Kaito's. His scarf was such a deep shade of red that it almost seemed black. He had black hair that covered the side of his face and scary ghoulish makeup all over his eyes. His skin was nearly white. He was definitely...different.

"Ah man!" Akaito whined. "ANOTHER one?! When is Master gonna learn to stop making so many copies of you?"

"A-Akaito!" Kaito cried out, shocked as his twin brother's horribly rude comment. Akaito just shrugged and turned back to his video games not at all interested in the new addition.

Kikaito leaned forward on the couch as he narrowed his eyes at the new Shion. Something seemed off about him and he really didn't like it.

"Kaito..." Kikaito said slowly, crossing his arms. "If this is going to be our new brother, then how come master isn't introducing him?"

The room went silent again as Kaito stiffened up and became almost as pale as the Shion next to him.

"U-uh..." Kaito stuttered looking at all the eyes on him now "M-m-master said she was...busy with things."

Kaito was a terrible liar. Everyone in the room knew he had made that up just then. The only question was... WHY was he was lying?

Kikaito didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. Something was terribly wrong and he wanted to know what. He glared at the new Shion as something suddenly dawned on him.

"Kaito..." he repeated again making Kaito begin to sweat.

"Master told us that there was a bug in your system last week..." Kikaito said slowly looking Kaito up and down practically reading him like a book.

"She said your depression you were experiencing was a virus in your programming..."

Akaito dropped his game controller in shock as he suddenly realized what Kikaito was saying and whirled around.

"HOLY CRAP! DID MASTER TURN YOUR VIRUS INTO A SHION?!"

The whole room burst into chaos as everyone suddenly backed away fearful that the one known as Zeito was going to infect them.

"What?! No! No! He's not a virus! Guys! Calm down! Guys!"

Kaito yelled trying to get order in the room, but it was to no avail as the Shions all began yelling in confusion and fear.

Zeito looked down at his feet and left the room silently as Kaito flailed about trying to get his brothers to listen to him.

He knew this had been a bad idea...

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"Now SAY it!" Kaito demanded an hour later glaring at his twin brother. Akaito sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Alright alright! I'm sorry about the whole saying you're just another copy of Kaito thing" Akaito said crossing his arms and pouting.

Kaito seemed satisfied with this apology and flashed a smile at Zeito.

Since the outburst in the living room, Kaito figured it was probably a better idea to introduce Zeito to each brother individually. He started out with Akaito and had forced the red head to apologize to the new family member.

Akaito gave Zeito another glance over and shuddered. The guy was totally creepy looking. He didn't understand how anyone could be friends with him.

However Kaito had pounded it into Akaito's head that he shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. For all Akaito knew, this guy could be really cool while he just looked really creepy. The least this black Shion deserved was a chance. Akaito was willing to give him that.

Akaito gave another dramatic sigh seeing that Kaito was trying to get them to make friends.

"I guess proper introductions are in order." Akaito grumbled "My name is Akaito and you'll find that I'm one of the coolest Shions in the family. So guess it's nice to meet ya Zeito..."

Kaito could not be more proud of his red brother. Akaito stepped forward and held his hand out to Zeito for a handshake and gave Zeito the polite greeting Kaito had been hoping for.

Kaito looked excitedly over at Zeito hoping Zeito was realizing this was a really rare moment for his usually boisterous hot head brother.

Zeito had not uncrossed his arms. He just looked at Akaito's outstretched hand as if he didn't know what to do with it.

Akaito frowned wondering if Zeito was purposely being rude.

"It's called a handshake" he said as if explaining to a small child who didn't know any better. "It's a type of greeting. Just grasp my hand with yours and that's it"

Zeito didn't move. He continued to stare at Akaito with a blank and expressionless face. Akaito ground his teeth together. He was sure the black Shion had heard him and fully knew what a handshake was. He WAS just being rude.

"Look jerk. I'm being polite. The least you can do is say 'hello'!" Akaito said angrily as he retracting his hand. Kaito's smile dropped as he saw the nice moment begin to go south.

"U-uh!" He said interrupting them "Zeito doesn't seem to like to talk much..." Kaito said as cheerfully as possible. Akaito only turned to Kaito with an raised eyebrow.

"Does he even have the ability to talk?" Akaito asked noting he hadn't heard a peep from Zeito at all.

"Um..." Kaito stuttered not at all knowing the answer to this question "I...think...so?"

"You THINK so?" Akaito asked incredulously. "What the hell good is a vocaloid who can't sing?"

"Akaito!" Kaito said angrily since Akaito had once again resorted to being rude right in front of Zeito.

"No I'm serious!" Akaito said just as angrily back. "Vocaloids are made to sing to make our master's happy. A vocaloid who can't sing is just wasted space don't you think?"

Kaito and Akaito began to yell and scream at each other. To many, this was a common sight. For some odd reason, Zeito seemed to know this fact, but he still wanted to be no part of what they were screaming about. He turned around and left the room.

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Kikaito bounced off the couch as Kaito and Zeito entered the room. He had felt bad about that morning and had wanted to apologize to Zeito the first chance he got. It wasn't fair for Kikaito to judge someone without even getting to know them first.

"Zeito!" He said brightly going over to meet them. Kaito smiled as he squeezed Zeito's shoulder.

"Zeito this is Kikaito" Kaito said nodding to the yellow Shion. "I don't think you're ever going to meet a nicer guy"

"Please! My brother is exaggerating" Kikaito interjected as he smiled."I wanted to apologize for making you uncomfortable this morning. That was wrong of me."

Zeito blankly stared at Kikaito and it was unclear to the yellow Shion is the raven haired man was deaf or not.

"As Kaito said, my name is Kikaito!" Kikaito said giving Zeito his best smile, trying to ignore the strange feeling he got as he looked at Zeito "If you ever need any help with anything. Just come to me!"

Kikaito offered his hand to Zeito just as Akaito had. Kaito gulped and stepped forward not wanting a repeat of what had happened between Zeito and Akaito.

"U-uh! Actually Kikaito! It turns out Zeito really isn't much of a talker!" Kaito laughed "So instead of the u..."

However, Kikaito didn't hear a word Kaito started saying. Kaito was nothing but a murmur in the background as he looked at Zeito. Zeito's deep red eyes were staring into him. Violating his entire being. He hated the way the black Shion was looking at him. He began to lose himself in the expressionless stare that Zeito was giving him. Kikaito's whole system began to churn in fear. He felt horrible. It was like the Shion in front of him was walking dread itself. There was no doubt in Kikaito mind that this Shion HAD to be a virus. His robot features would not react as violently if he wasn't, would they? Why did Kikaito feel so cold looking at Zeito?

"Stop it..." he whispered, accidentally interrupting Kaito who was still in mid sentence. Kaito blinked as he looked to his older brother. Kikaito was shaking softly as he looked at Zeito. Kikaito next action shocked Kaito beyond words.

"I SAID STOP IT! STOP STARING AT ME. DON'T LOOK AT ME. GET AWAY FROM ME!" Kikaito screamed at Zeito backing away from him as if Zeito was advancing on him threateningly.

"Kikaito?" Kaito asked wondering what had gotten into the yellow Shion.

"What the hell ARE you?!" Kikaito asked loudly as his back hit the wall on the far end of the room. Despite this, it still felt like Zeito was RIGHT in font of him and it terrified him.

Kaito blinked after his brother as Kikaito left the room slamming the door violently behind him. Never in his life had Kaito EVER seen Kikaito act so strangely. What had caused that?

Kaito blinked as he heard Zeito shift past him, about to make his way out of the room yet again.

"H-Hey wait!" Kaito said grabbing Zeito's wrist. Zeito just turned to Kaito with the same blank stare. Kaito wondered why the stare looked different to him. He knew that outburst from Kikaito must have affected Zeito.

"I-I'm sorry about Kikaito" Kaito said truthfully. "But you know what? I have a great idea!"

Kaito managed a smile at Zeito

"There's one brother who I have a feeling you would get along really well with! Come on let's go meet him!"

Kaito said with honesty and excitement that made Zeito blink.

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Taito had always been the reserved and silent type. When Master was home, that was a different story of course. But when on his own, Taito was independent and well composed. He very much reminded Kaito of Zeito. Kaito just had a feeling the two would become fast friends.

Kaito peaked into another room and saw Taito leaning up against a wall. This made Kaito smile. Taito's position looked almost exactly like Zeito when Zeito leaned up against walls frequently. This had to be a perfect match. Kaito motioned for Zeito to enter the room with him.

Taito looked up as he saw his brother and the new Shion enter the room and head towards him. He pushed himself up off the wall and made his way toward them to meet them half way.

"Haha! Good afternoon Taito!" Kaito laughed "I wanted to introduce you to -"

Kaito's sentence was stopped dead cold as Taito walked right past Kaito and punched Zeito in the face as hard as he could. The unsuspecting Shion crashed to the floor.

Before Zeito could even register that he had been hit he was picked up by the front of his scarf and whirled around before slammed into a wall violently.

The wind was knocked out him momentarily and Zeito swore he could see stars, but his system was instantly forced back to 100% as the adrenalin from feeling something cold and sharp placed on his neck, pumped through him.

Taito got in Zeito's face, coming in to make them inches apart from each other. The yandere's purple eyes bore into Zeito's red ones.

"If you really ARE a virus" Taito whispered dangerously "Then Master must have had a reason to keep you alive"

The icepick was traced dangerously across Zeito's neck hard enough to scratch, but not hard enough to draw blood. Taito leaned in even closer.

"Don't get any ideas about her. The Master is mine." Taito whispered into Zeito's ear "If I so much as see you look at her the wrong way, I will not hesitate to kill you"

Taito pushed himself away from Zeito before giving him a final glare.

"Do we understand each other?"

Zeito just gave a tentative nod hoping Taito didn't slice his neck in the process. Taito's glare turned back into it's usual bored self as he pocked his icepick as well as his hands.

"Good. Now get out of my sight before I decide to kill you anyway"

Taito didn't wait for Zeito to leave. He headed out the door himself looking horribly bored as if he didn't just threaten to murder someone.

Kaito's was still in the middle of the room where Taito had left him, circles for eyes and too stunned to move.

0000000000000

Zeito sighed as he leaned against the wall rubbing his jaw where Taito had punched him painfully later that day.

Kaito had not been sure whether the introduction with Nigaito had been a success or not. Nigaito had politely introduced himself to Zeito unlike anyone else in the family, however he had mumbled the introduction into the small of Kaito's back as he hid, shivering and cowering behind Kaito.

Kaito didn't understand it. Zeito seemed to affect his family to such a degree that they exhibited such strange behaviors. He had wondered if it was possible that Zeito really WAS a virus that was accidentally making his family behave this way. Kaito had looked uncertainly at Zeito as they had walked through the hall together.

Zeito's eyes had met Kaito's and Zeito had seen the doubt in Kaito's eyes. He could read every last one of Kaito's concerns and worries like Kaito were saying them out loud to him. Asking Zeito if he would soon infect Kaito and make him act strangely.

At that point in time, Zeito couldn't stand being next to Kaito anymore. He had stopped on a dime before turning on his heel and heading in the opposite direction.

"A-ah! Zeito!" Kaito called out to him, but Zeito was already rounding the corning heading away from him.

Zeito had found the darkest corner to be in and just crossed his arms trying to make himself as small as possible. He knew coming to the Shion household ad been a terrible idea. Kaito had begged his master to let him come. Neither Zeito nor the Master were sure about it, but Kaito had been adamant. He desperately wanted Zeito to be a part of his family. So against his Master's wishes, Kaito had snuck Zeito over to the Shion household and now here they were...

It was clear to Zeito now, that this was just a silly dream of Kaito's. There was no way he would be accepted by this family.

Zeito looked up as the door opened.

Akaito and Kikaito came through the door laughing to themselves over some sort of joke Akaito had told. However, the laughter ceased as the two saw the dark Shion in the corner.

Kikaito's smiling features immediately set into a glare as he growled at Zeito. Akaito looked confused to Kikaito to Zeito before a smirk came to his lips.

"Yo goth freak!" Akaito said approaching Zeito, making zero effort to be polite any more.

"Kikaito and I were wondering something" he said standing before Zeito. Kikaito followed him but made sure to stay a few paces behind Akaito to distance himself from Zeito as much as possible.

"Are you really goth? Or are you just emo?"

Zeito blinked at the question wondering what Akaito had meant by it. He didn't seem to understand what kind of answer Akaito was hoping for. Akaito just smirked

"Give me you wrists" Akaito demanded. It was not a request. He was not giving Zeito an option. He was telling Zeito exactly what he wanted him to do. Zeito looked at him uncertainly, a little nervous by Akaito's intentions. Akaito gave Zeito three seconds before he got impatient.

"I SAID. Give me your wrists!" Akaito stepped forward and forcefully grabbed Zeito's arm. Zeito blinked and tried to take his arm back, and the two struggled momentarily, but Akaito had a powerful grip on Zeito arms and he wasn't planning to let go.

Zeito could struggle all he wanted, Akaito had what he wanted. With his other hand he grabbed Zeito's coat sleeve and pushed it up Zeito's arm, turning Zeito's wrists over to look at them.

"Not a single cut!" Akaito laughed. "So You CAN'T be emo if you don't cut yourself!"

Zeito finally mustered up enough courage and slapped Akaito's hand off of his arm. Akaito yelped in shock at the impact before he snarled at Zeito and returned the smack by punching Zeito in the exact same spot that Taito had hit him. Zeito hit the wall behind him before sliding down.

"Don't fucking TOUCH me Virus!" Akaito said grabbing his hand and looking it over to see if Zeito had done anything to him. It still wasn't clear to Akaito if Zeito was a virus or not. He was fearful that Zeito was. It was probably due to this fear that Akaito's hand hurt so much from the impact. The fear was exaggerating the pain.

"A-are you okay?!" Kikaito asked worriedly running to Akaito's side. "He didn't infect you did he?"

"I don't...know" Akaito said worriedly. Kikaito rounded on Zeito as Zeito tried to push himself back up against the wall and off the ground.

"I swear if you did ANYTHING to Akaito, a punch is the least you have to worry about from me!" he said flexing his cybernetic arm.

Akaito turned to Zeito with an unamused expression.

"Touch me again virus freak and I'm going to make sure you're in for a world of pain" Akaito tilted his head in curiosity as the smirk returned.

"Now open your mouth"

From where the red and yellow Shion were standing over Zeito, they could not see the door open quietly and Kaito step in. Zeito could see as he pressed his back to the wall. He looked at Kaito as Kaito stopped dead in his tracks seeing what was going on.

Kaito looked from Akaito to Kikaito as they advanced on Zeito . A panicked expression set onto Kaito's face. Zeito's eyes widened slightly as Akaito grabbed his already bruised jaw and tried to force open Zeito's mouth.

At this action, Kaito turned his back on Zeito and ran out of the room before even being noticed by anyone. Zeito wasn't sure why this action of Kaito's made his system turn so cold. The sight of seeing Kaito's back was anguishing to the black Shion.

He reached out to Kaito trying to yell out to him to please come back. However nothing escaped Zeito's lips. No words, no sounds other than a soft rasping sound. He didn't want to be left alone here. Why was Kaito running away? Did he think there was no hope for a virus that could potentially infect him and the other brothers? Why was the sight so painful?

Zeito couldn't take the thought of Kaito betraying him like this. He elbowed Akaito's arm off of his mouth and shoved him back violently.

Akaito yelled in shocked again as he crashed to the floor. He immediately checked his chest where Zeito had touched him to see if there were any marks. He didn't know much about how the vocaloid system worked, but he knew there were a great many vital parts in the chest, so if Zeito had infected anything in his chest...

Zeito made to run out of the room after Kaito, but as he ran past the two Shions a crushing grip on his wrist yanked him back and slammed him into a wall. Before Zeito realized it had been Kikaito, Zeito gasped in pain and doubled over as Kikaito punched him straight in the stomach with his cybernetic arm.

"Hold him down!" Akaito said jumping up after accessing his chest was fine. Zeito was punched in the stomach once again for good measure before Kikaito grabbed Zeito in an arm lock. Akaito was non to gentle as he grabbed Zeito's swollen jaw and tiled Zeito's head backwards trying to get a good look in his mouth.

The three struggled with each other for many seconds before Akaito finally got his fingers in Zeito's mouth and pried open his jaw. Looking into the black Shion's mouth, he frowned in disappointment.

"Not cuts and not a single piercing!" Akaito threw his arms into the air. "Isamine is more goth than you are and little Kiaito is more emo! So tell me Zeito! If you're not emo and you're not goth. Then what the hell are you?!"

Zeito looked up weakly from Kikaito's arm lock. His breathing still hadn't returned to normal from the punch to the stomach. Even he had any intention of speaking, he doubted he would be able to.

"You can't even SING!" Akaito yelled at Zeito "You're nothing but wasted space. So why don't you ether ONE, do as emos do and start cutting yourself or TWO make like a virus and get deleted?"

Akaito and Kikaito jumped as the door exploded behind them.

Both of them whirled around to be met with the furious expression of their Master standing in the door way.

"M-master!" The both stood at attention and Kikaito dropped Zeito.

"Is what Kaito tells me true?! You're bulling your newest brother?!" she screamed at them. Kaito peered out from behind his Master before seeing the state that Zeito was in. He gasped and ran past Akaito and Kikaito to Zeito's aid.

"I AM APPAULED AT YOU TWO!" The Master shrieked as Kaito helped Zeito to his feet and led him out of the room.

"B-but Master!"

"H-h-he's a virus!" the two tried to justified their scared actions but the Master would have none of it.

000000000000000

Zeito pulled away sharply as Kaito dabbed the cotton swab onto Zeito's bloody lip. Kaito looked as Zeito with anguish in his eyes.

"I can't believe Akaito and Kikaito DID that!" Kaito said biting his own lip as he continued to tend to Zeito's.

"To their own brother too! I don't know what got into them!"

Zeito was silent as Kaito aided his wounds. Despite the fact that Zeito was always silent, this new type of silence made Kaito worry for Zeito. Almost as if feeling Kaito's worry Zeito looked up at Kaito and opened his mouth, halting Kaito's ministration.

"Bro...ther"

Kaito gasped as he withdrew the cotton swab. It had been Zeito's first word, and he couldn't be happier. However Kaito's smile dropped as Zeito finished the rest of his sentence.

"I'm not,...your brother..."

Zeito's voice was dry and high pitched. He was definitely not used to using his vocal cords.

"What are you talking about Zeito? Of course you're my br-"

"Stop" Zeito demanded as he pushed away the cotton swab Kaito had returned to his lips.

"You know that's not true. Everyone is right. I'm just a virus in your coding. Why do you keep telling them they're wron-...?"

Zeito cut himself short as he blinked surprised looking at Kaito.

Tears were streaming down Kaito's cheeks.

Why would Kaito be crying? The master had extracted Zeito from Kaito's programming to remove all elements of depression. Kaito should have had no reason to cry anymore.

From the look of Kaito expression, Kaito didn't even notice the tears running down his face. Kaito blinked in turn with Zeito as he saw Zeito looking at him strangely. He brought a hand to his face and felt the warm liquid falling from his cheeks.

These weren't his tears...

Zeito gasped in a combination of, shock, fear and confusion as Kaito quickly pulled him in for a hug. This was the first time Zeito had been touched today without it being painful. What was Kaito doing to him?

"I don't care if you're a virus" Kaito said into Zeito's shoulder as Zeito's tears fell from Kaito's eyes. "I don't care if you used to be a glitch in my programming. What matters is that you're here right now. You're right in front of me Zeito and that makes you my brother"

Zeito didn't understand this feeling of warmth and compassion inside of him. It had been the first time he had experienced it. How could Kaito say such nice things as he cried? It didn't make any sense. Was it possible because he had spawned from Kaito's depression that the twos feelings were still somehow linked? Were those his tears running down Kaito's face?

"It may be a while before my family accepts you" Kaito said pulling away from Zeito as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "But until then. I'll accept you Zeito. I'll be by your side until everyone else joins us"

Zeito bit his lip at the strange sensation. He wanted Kaito's arms around him again. Whatever that motion Kaito had done to him. He wanted it again.

Kaito blinked surprised as Zeito was the one to initiate the new hug and hold Kaito close. Silent tears began to fall from Zeito's eyes and smear his makeup down his face. Kaito just smiled and held Zeito close to him as well.

"Come on Zeito. Let's go get some icecream together..."


	4. Akaito

Akaito stormed out of the house with a furious expression on his face. He already knew the whole rest of this day was going to suck.

"ZEITO!" he screamed out to the vast open gardens of the Shion estate. "ZEITO WHERE ARE YOU!? GET YOUR PANDA HERO BUTT OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Akaito didn't know what he was doing screaming as he stomped into the gardens. It wasn't like Zeito was going to respond or anything. The black Shion was dull as a brick.

Go grocery shopping with ZEITO. Kaito had told him. You need to spend more TIME with him he had said! Akaito ground his teeth in frustration. Kaito was holding the fact that Akaito had accidentally mixed his and Kaito's ice cream up and had eaten the last of the vanilla flavor. Akaito had asked him what he could do to make up for it since it had been an accident. The ice cream addict wanted him to go buy MORE ice cream...with ZEITO. Why couldn't Akaito get the ice cream himself?! He was more than willing to! This was a bit of overkill!

However Kaito had given Akaito the infamous silent treatment that Akaito knew he would continue to receive until Kaito got his way. Akaito had finally yelled out in frustration and stomped out into the gardens where he knew the nature obsessed black Shion would be.

"ZEITO!" Akaito screamed another time wondering where in the hell the black Shion was. He wanted to get this over with before he changed his mind. He grounded his teeth together in frustration before he stomped back towards the house deeming Zeito was not outside.

Akaito paused his march back to the house as the sound of a distant _meow_ reached his ears. Akaito blinked looking around. The Shions did not own any sort of pets (Unless you counted Kageito. Akaito sort of viewed him as a pet) so he didn't understand why a cat would be on the property. It was possible a feline had accidentally wandered onto the premise...

Akaito heard the _meow_ again and realized it was coming from above him. Akaito blinked as he turned to the large oak tree he was standing next to. The tree was easily 60 feet tall and Akaito had to strain his neck upward trying to find the source of the sound. He finally saw it towards the very top of the tree where the branches were thinnest. There was a small black cat meowing for help.

Before Akaito could assess the situation of the stuck cat, he did a double take at the tree as he realized their was someone who was half way through climbing it!

"Z-Zeito?!" Akaito yelled panicked. What the hell was the black Shion doing?! He was horribly high up and the cat was so much higher. The branches that were barely sustaining the cat would NOT be able to hold Zeito. Was he seriously expecting to save the thing?

"Zeito get down from there!" Akaito yelled up to Zeito. Akaito wasn't even the one in the tree and he felt dizzy by the ridiculous height Zeito was at. If Zeito were to fall from this height he would get seriously injured! Plus he was climbing higher!

"Zeito! Stop!" Akaito called up at him. He had absolutely no idea what to do. He considered climbing up after Zeito and pulling the stupid jerk's butt out of that tree, but Akaito knew that would be of no help. Akaito hated heights so if he did anything then he, Zeito, AND the cat would be stuck in the tree.

Akaito blinked as he suddenly realized how stupid he was being. What did he care if Zeito fell out of a tree? It would be Zeito own damn fault and Akaito had already warned him to get down. The stupid goth deserved to fall.

Akaito crossed his arms and turned his head away angrily from the tree.

"You know what? Fine! Whatever!" Akaito pouted. "I HOPE you fall out of that tree and when I tell you that I told you s-"

Akaito gasped and rounded back to the tree at the snapping sound. He covered his eyes for a split seconds as a branch gave out from underneath Zeito's foot and Zeito was forced to hang by the branch he was holding onto.

Akaito couldn't take this. It was horribly stressful!

"LET the damn thing fall out by it's self moron!" Akaito screamed up at him as Zeito's foot found another branch to support itself on

"Cats land on their feet! It's going to be fine! Zeito seriously! STOP!"

Akaito knew Zeito could hear him. He was just ignoring him as he climbed higher and higher. At this point, Zeito was nearly on level with the cat. This was serious. At this height a fall wouldn't hurt Zeito, it would be _lethal_. Plus there was nothing at the top of the tree except super skinny branches. This could NOT end well.

The cat looked up as it saw the man gently come out to the branch it was on. Sad for all parties involved in this affair, the cat was _not_ friendly. The moment it saw Zeito it began to hiss and back up in fear.

Akaito could NOT blame the cat. If he were the size of the cat and saw a man with creepy pasta styled eye make up coming towards _him_ he would probably hiss and back the fuck up as well.

Akaito bit his lip as he saw Zeito slowly and cautiously climb out further and further on the branch the cat was on.

"AAAIIIIIIIII!" Akaito pulled at his hair in utter torment as he watched this. The branch was creaking loud enough for HIM to hear and he was on the GROUND 60 feet below them!

"ZEITO! I'M NOT GOING TO CATCH YOUR ASS IF YOU FALL GOD DAMNIT!" Akaito bellowed in his panic. "IN FACT I'LL KICK YOUR ASS SO HARD IF YOU FREAKING FALL YOU SUNUVABICH!"

_Don't fall. Don't fall. Don't fall. Please don't fall. Oh god please don't fall. _

Akaito begged as he watched the ordeal knowing there was no hope of survival if Zeito fell.

Fucking cat! The damn thing was NOT making Zeito's job any easier as it had backed up onto the very edge of the branch unable to backup any further without falling itself. Why had the damn beast had to have climbed so far up?! Akaito suddenly hated that cat and wished Zeito would have let it fall...

Akaito's breathing hitched as Zeito reached for the cat and his leaning forward resulted in the ominous cracking sound from the branch he was on. Zeito paused his action and froze hoping the cat would work with him for just a few seconds.

Akaito held his breath as Zeito reached out once more to the cat. Zeito was trying his hardest to convey to the cat that he was trying to help it. If the cat so much as scratched Zeito and made Zeito do anything sudden like a recoil action, Akaito knew that branch was coming down.

The cat continued to growl as it's fur stood on end not wanting Zeito to touch it. Zeito bit his lip and continued to reach for it. There was a horribly tense moment before it was made clear that the cat would do nothing to stop Zeito from grabbing it.

There was a unanimous sigh of relief from Akaito, Zeito, and even the cat looked thankful for once. Zeito brought the small creature into his arms and petted it reassuringly.

Akaito couldn't help but smile. Usually sentimental things like this didn't affect him in the slightest, but he had felt as if he had been a part of this drama. A happy ending was something everyone deserved.

Akaito's smile was wiped off of his face and was replaced with horror at the sound of the loud _CRACK_ that echoed throughout the Shion grounds.

Zeito blinked as the branch he currently resided on suddenly gave way and sent him crashing and tumbling painfully through the tree branches. He clutched the cat tightly to his body and he closed his eyes.

"SHIT!" Akaito screamed as he ran forward not at all knowing what the hell good he could possibly do.

Zeito hit branch after branch. Some snapped at the force of his weight and his free fall. Some branches were steadfast and Zeito bounced off of many on his way down.

There was finally a moment of peace as Zeito just free fell from the tree not hitting anything, and just let gravity do it work. Zeito fell at max speed before the glorious ground met him. A pain like no other ripped through Zeito's system as he collided. Zeito had been through a lot of pain, but this was putting some of his most memorable moments to shame.

Zeito gasped for air violently as suddenly nothing would come to him. The wind had been knocked out of him so violently he feared for a second he would die from asphyxiation. Oxygen finally did return to Zeito's lungs and he breathed slowly looking up at the lazing clouds above him.

Zeito blinked wondering what he was still doing among the living. A fall from that height definitely should have killed him...

The cat within his arms wriggled free from Zeito's grasp. Zeito let it go. At least the small creature was okay. As Zeito watched the cat hop off his stomach and onto the ground, it was then that Zeito realized he was not lying on the ground.

Zeito jumped up quickly as it was revealed to him that he was laying atop Akaito Shion. Zeito's body screamed at him in pain as he jumped up, but Zeito payed it no mind. Pain meant he was alive and he realized he owed this to Akaito.

Akaito groaned as Zeito leapt off of him. He didn't know what he had been thinking when he had tried to catch Zeito. He knew it had been a bad idea even as he was doing it. Even so, his body had moved on his own, and he had payed the price. His body screamed in pain just as much as Zeito's did.

Akaito looked up at Zeito who was looking down at him worriedly.

"Hey..." Akaito said trying to make the white dots cluttering his vision go away. "You okay?"

Zeito didn't respond and Akaito wasn't surprised. Zeito was just looking at him. Akaito wondered if he had gotten something on his face or something during the impact.

"What?" Akaito asked. "I'm fine. Don't worry about i-AAAH!"

Akaito made to stand up, but his system sent a horribly powerful jolt up and down his spine and he fell face first back into the dirt.

Akaito curled in pain wondering what the hell had caused that. He whirled onto his back to look at his leg.

It was bending in the wrong direction, and sparking dangerously...

0000000000000

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

Kaito hollered at Akaito later that day as Akaito pouted in the hospital bed with his leg suspended in the air.

"YOU BREAK YOUR LEG THE ONE TIME MASTER IS NOT AROUND TO REPAIR YOU! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING?!"

Akaito just furthered his pout as he crossed his arms tighter.

"I was rescuing a cat from a tree..." He said bitterly.

"Well I hope that cat was worth it Akaito! Because without Master here. You're going to have to heal your leg the old fashion way like humans do!"

"Yeah yeah" Akaito scoffed not really understanding the concept of a "Broken leg". From what Kaito had explained to him, humans were made up of these fragile structures known as "bones" A broken bone was when one of the bones wasn't in the correct place or something. Akaito failed to see how this concept at all applied to Vocaloids. He doubted Vocaloid had these fragile things known as bones present throughout their systems. So he didn't understand what was so terribly wrong with him.

"How long does it take humans to heal from these types of injuries?" Akaito asked looking over to Kaito. Kaito's angered expression never ceased.

"Not sure. A few months I hear"

"MONTHS?!" Akaito screamed sitting up out of bed. "How the hell long am I supposed to be in this bed for?!"

To this Kaito just shrugged.

"I dunno. Until the doctors can get your leg into a cast. Could be a few days to a week if I were to guess"

"DAYS?!" Akaito shrieked in horror looking at Kaito like he was crazy. He hoped his brother was exaggerating or not clear on his facts.

"What am I supposed to do for that long?!"

"HEAL!" Kaito glowered at Akaito.

"HUMANS SERIOUSLY SUCK!" Akaito slammed his head back into the pillow returning to pouting. Why didn't Vocaloids have the feature to heal instantly? He didn't get it.

"I'm going to talk to the doctors about when we can get you out of here. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow Akaito. You better be nice to your nurses! If I hear any word that you pulled some nasty prank-!"

"Yeah, whatever. Can't I at least get some video games in here?" Akaito asked.

"NO!" Kaito roared "You play those addicting things WAY too much! It's about time you learned to live without them! Now I'm serious Akaito. Just get some rest! You'll heal faster that way!"

"GRAAAAHHHH!" Akaito yelled grabbing his head in frustration. Kaito just gave him a final glare before marching out of the room.

"Tch." Akaito clicked his tongue annoyed. He looked around the room trying to find ANY source of entertainment. A few boring looking magazines lay to his left that he wasn't at all interested in.

There was a TV in the room, but it was on mute playing some stupid nature channel and Akaito didn't see a remote control in sight.

Akaito groaned again and looked up at the boring ceiling. There was seriously nothing to do around here. Kaito didn't want him playing pranks on the nurses? Akaito wasn't sure he could promise that...

Akaito looked up at the sound of the door opening. He expected it to either be Kaito or a smoking hot nurse. He frowned in disappointment when he saw that it was neither.

It was Zeito. The black Shion peered into the room before letting himself in. He carried a large bag in his arms.

"Oh hey~! The panda hero is here!" Akaito said playfully. "Come to laugh at this ridiculous situation I'm in?" Akaito crossed his arms glaring at his suspended leg. It WAS pretty ridiculous.

Zeito approached Akaito's bed side and looked him over before looking down at his feet. Akaito raised his eyebrow at Zeito's strange actions.

"You're not feeling guilty are you?" he asked. "Seriously don't worry about it man. I don't regret doing it. What I DO regret is that there's not a damn thing to do here!"

Zeito tilted his head and it was then Akaito heard the rustle of the bag Zeito held. Akaito looked curiously over the bed's guardrails to peer into the bag Zeito held.

Akaito's face instantly brightened up.

"Zeito is that my Xbox?!" He yelled in glee. Zeito looked down at the bag and nodded. He looked back up to Akaito, but Akaito was suddenly on top of him.

"DAMN! ZEITO! YOU'RE AMAZING! OH MY GOD I AM SO SORRY FOR ALL THIOSE TIMES I WAS MEAN TO YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST BROTHER EVER! I LOVE YOU!" Akaito yelled nuzzling into Zeito's face.

Zeito tensed up as Akaito began to curse in pain from moving his leg too much. He helped Akaito quickly back in bed. Akaito crossed his arms and pouted again having forgoten about his leg.

Zeito sighed and placed the video game console on the bedside table. He knew Akaito would not want him in this room for long. The two rarely got along. Zeito nodded to Akaito before he began to head out.

"Hey! Where you going?" Akaito asked making Zeito turn back to him.

Akaito reached into the bag and was happy to see that Zeito had brought both of his controllers.

"I'm gonna need someone to help me set this up" Akaito said flashing a large grin in Zeito's direction "Plus I need someone to play with!"

0000000000000

"OH WHAT THE HELL?!" Akaito cried later that night resisting the urge to throw the controller across the room.

"Rematch! Best 5 out of 7!" He yelled gripping onto the controller angrily. Zeito just shrugged and hit the start button to continue the vs. match.

Akaito yelled in frustration as his back hit his pillow for the 10th time that night. There was NO way Zeito could pull off those combos without having played this game before. Just no way! He was playing this game like he was a pro!

"Damn it" Akaito said sitting up and putting his controller down "Zeito! Teach me how you did that counter throw!" He said leaning over to look at Zeito's controller. Zeito looked up at Akaito and nodded.

Kaito was going to be mad the next morning when he found the two still playing video games throughout the night. But as of right now. Neither of them cared.


	5. Nigaito

Nigaito hummed happily down the hall. He was in good spirits today because the Master was home! As sad of a fact as it was, the Master was rarely home. It was made clear that she felt guilty about this, but she was always busy with other thing. It was speculated among the Shion family that the reason she had made so many brother was so that they could keep each other company while she was gone. She tried her hardest to come over as frequently as she could, but the visits were still rare. Whenever the Master was home, EVERYONE was happy.

Today Nigaito was going to make tea for everyone to celebrate the Master's return. Many of the brother's in the family had made it clear that they did NOT like Nigaito's disgustingly bitter tea (Though Kaito pretended to like it in order to be polite), however Nigaito had a new recipe in mind. He was sure that everyone would like his tea this time! He was going to put in as much soul and heart as he possibly could into this tea.

Nigaito paused his quest to the kitchen as something strange reached his ears. He looked around the hall curiously as he came to a full stop. The sound was faint as if coming from another room, but as Nigaito strained to listen it sounded like...laughter?

Only, it didn't sound like a happy laugh which Nigaito found strange. The laughing sounded strained and forced...almost as if it was...maniacal. Nigaito wondered why anyone in the family would ever laugh like that. It sounded so...creepy and wrong.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Nigaito went to investigate the source of the laughing. His mind knew this was a bad idea as an ominous feeling sank into the pit of his stomach. He soon found the room the sound was coming from and look up at the closed door debating if he should open it or not.

Something told him not to, and just run to the kitchen and just forget he had ever heard this laughter. However now that he was right outside this room, he could hear the laughter fully. It sent fearful chills up Nigaito's spine. No one would ever be able to laugh this long if it wasn't for something horrid.

Nigaito gulped as he opened the door and peered in. The sight before him was every horrible nightmare he had just been imagining and more.

The maniacal laughter was coming from his own brother. Kaito stood in the middle of the room holding a limp Akaito in his arms.

There was blood everywhere...

Nigaito's eyes widened in horror as he noticed the bloody knife in Kaito's hand and the multiple stab wounds in Akaito. It seems Nigaito had caught Kaito in mid giggle fit because Kaito could not stop laughing as he just looked at his dead brother in his arms.

Nigaito covered his mouth feeling sick. He knew he shouldn't scream. He knew it! If he made a sound Kaito would see him and come after him next. He had to leave the room silently and tell his master immediately.

But it was no use...

Kaito looked up suddenly as the scream filled the room. He whipped his head over at the door where Nigaito was backing out of the room.

Kaito's smile immediately dropped and was replaced with horror now that he had been caught.

"N-Nigaito!" He yelled. That was Nigaito's cue to book it the hell out of there.

"Sorry for intruding!" Nigaito screamed before slamming the door closed and he took sprinting down the hall as fast as his short legs and long coat would allow him to.

"Nigaito WAIT!" Kaito screamed in a panic dropping the bloody Akaito to the ground. "I-it's not what you think!"

If Nigaito hadn't of left the room so quickly, he would have heard the dead Akaito curse in pain as his head hit the ground...

00000000000

Nigaito ran as fast as he could. He had never been used to running. He never had any need to. Plus his accursed cold and asthma usually prevented him from running for too long. He cursed his fragile and sick body for being so weak and begged it to go faster as he heard the door to the room he had just left open violently and Kaito scream after him.

Kaito was chasing him and he knew Kaito was the faster of them. He was going to die tonight and it would be because Nigaito sucked at running! Nigaito hated himself as he ran. Why did he have to be so pathetic?

His vision began to blur as tears began to stain his eyes

NO! He couldn't cry now! If he cried he wouldn't be able to see where he was going and then he would definitely be doomed! Nigaito didn't want to die. Not by the hands of his brother. Not Kaito nii-san!

Nigaito's tears ran freely and he might have well have been running with his eyes closed at this point. He couldn't see anything. It was due to this fact as he rounded a corner, he slammed into something violently and hit the ground.

Sprawled out on the ground and sobbing Nigaito looked up to see what he had hit. The moment he realized it had been a someone and not a something his blood ran cold.

Standing in front of him was the embodiment of all his nightmares, Zeito Shion looking down at him confused.

Nigaito scrambled away from Zeito in a panic and jumped to his feet about to start sprinting in the opposite direction, but stopped instantly as he was reminded of what he had been running away from in the first place.

Nigaito was trapped.

Trapped between his murderer brother and Zeito. He didn't know what was worse...He didn't know what to do.

"Nigaito!" Kaito screamed again _RIGHT_ behind Nigaito. Nigaito screamed in terror and ran forward for Zeito.

"Zeito nii-san! Help me!" He yelled jumping into Zeito's arms and hugging him tightly.

00000000000

Zeito walked quickly down the hall trying his best to get as far away from his Master as he possibly could. He absolutely hated it when she was home. When she was home he never got ANY peace and quiet cause she was always throwing herself onto him, trying to initiate conversation and asking him to smile.

After another episode of exactly that, Zeito couldn't take anymore and had taken to the halls. The Master had called after him but even she knew when Zeito was at his limit and hadn't taken chase.

Zeito sighed as he crossed his arms. He was in a worse mood than usual. He usually was when it came to the Master. He closed his eyes trying to think of something nice that would get his mind off his stupid master.

Zeito blinked as he was roughly bumped into. He blinked and looked down to see little Nigaito on the ground. Why was he crying? Had it been something he had done again?

Zeito's heart broke at the look of terror on Nigaito's eyes as he saw Zeito and tried to scramble away. Zeito had always hated the fact that Nigaito feared him so. He had always liked Nigaito and though he was adorable as the rest of the brothers thought he was. The fact that Nigaito despised him so always hurt, and he was usually reminded of this fact every time he made eye contact with Nigaito.

Nigaito made to run away from Zeito putting Zeito into that much fouler of a mood than he already was. However Nigaito stopped and then suddenly looked conflicted, which confused Zeito.

Zeito blinked and looked up as he heard Kaito shout from around the corner.

This shout made Nigaito jump in even more terror and turn to Zeito.

"Zeito nii-san! Help me!" he said jumping into Zeito's arms.

Zeito could have SWORN his heart just exploded at that point. He could not count how many years he had wanted Nigaito to call him "nii-san". Zeito's caught Nigaito as his body suddenly turned numb and a strange tingling sensation over came him.

"Zeito nii-san! Zeito nii-san! Zeito nii-san!" Nigaito sobbed rubbing his face into Zeito's stomach. Each time Nigaito said his name Zeito's heart skipped a beat.

Zeito's body reacted on it's own order at this point. He dropped to his knees and embraced Nigaito tightly. This action seemed to surprise Nigaito as the small boy's breath hitched.

They stayed like that forever. Zeito did not want to let go. And for what was in reality a couple of seconds, seemed like an eternity to Zeito.

"Nigaito!"

Kaito's voice rang out which made Nigaito jump again. The green Shion wriggled out of Zeito's hug and hid behind him, clinging to Zeito's back and Shivering.

Zeito blinked and looked over at Nigaito and stood up. However Zeito immediately saw what Nigaito had been afraid of as a bloodied Kaito rounded the corner. Kaito was definitely a sight. His face was a mixture of blood and sweat, and his hair was all skewed from running after Nigaito.

"Z-Zeito!" Kaito said gasping for breath. "Have you seen Nigaito around h-" Kaito stopped as he saw the small green Shion hiding behind Zeito.

"Nigaito! Let me exp-" Kaito said taking a step forward to Nigaito, but Zeito moved first and put a hand dangerously on Kaito's chest warning Kaito to keep his distance. Kaito got the message and took a few steps back.

"Crap! Have you found him yet?!" Akaito proclaimed as he rounded the corner.

Nigaito blinked at the entrance of the red Shion.

"Akaito nii-san!" Nigaito squeaked "Y-you're alive!"

Akaito blinked as he noticed Zeito and Nigaito.

"Of course I'm alive!" Akaito said flashing Nigaito a bright smile that didn't have it's full effect since Akaito was covered in as much blood as Kaito was.

"Nigaito. I'm sorry!" Kaito began "You caught Akaito and I singing a new song for Master!"

"Guuuh" Akaito groaned rolling his eyes "I will never get our Master's obsession with bloody vocaloid songs!"

Nigaito blinked as he slowly came out from hiding behind Zeito.

"S-so...you didn't really kill Akaito nii-san?"

"Of course not! I was just acting Nigaito!"

Nigaito's eyes teared up again as he ran out from behind cover

"Kaito nii-san! Akaito nii-san! I'm sorry!" He said running to hug them. As much as they wanted to hug him, both Akaito and Kaito backed away yelling about how Nigaito would get his nice coat dirty if he touched them.

As much as Zeito hated to admit it, he felt a pang of jealousy as Nigaito insisted on hugging them and the two Shion had to hold him back at an arms length. He had been waiting years for a hug from Nigaito and here Nigaito was trying to give them out freely to Kaito and Akaito who were covered in blood (Something Zeito liked to think was a _tad_ scarier than him).

Still...Zeito had received his much hoped for hug that night so he guessed he shouldv't have complained. He nodded unseen by anyone and turned around to head in the opposite direction.

"Oh! Zeito nii-san!"

Zeito stopped dead in his tracks as his heart melted. Why did hearing Nigaito say that affect him so much?! Zeito turned back to look at Nigaito trying his hardest to keep his lips from quivering.

"Arigatou! I'm glad you were here tonight!"

Zeito just nodded again slowly and continued on his way as he tried to will the stupid blush off his face.


	6. Kikaito

As if out of something from a slasher horror film, a scream echoed out in the forest scaring many birds to take flight. However, unlike in a slasher horror film, hysterical laughter followed this scream.

Kikaito had to hold onto a tree as he grabbed his side, over come with fits of laughter. He was trying his hardest to remember to breathe, but it was becoming harder by the second.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" Akaito roared as he lay on the ground absolutely frozen in fear. "GET IT OFF OF ME!"

Kikaito opened his mouth to respond to Akaito's predicament, but the moment his and Akaito's eyes met, he was beside himself with laughter again.

"KIKAITO!" Akaito screamed in panic.

There was a large beetle currently climbing up Akaito's leg. The red Shion was so terrified he couldn't move, and could do nothing but scream for help.

"FUCKING KAITO! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" Akaito screamed as he tried to look at anything other than the hairy monstrosity climbing up his leg.

"THIS IS ALL HIS FAULT"

Yesterday, Kaito had proposed that the whole Shion family go camping in the woods to bond as a family and promote group dynamics. For the most part, none of the family had objected. In fact, they all seemed to like the idea. The only two Shions who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves so far on this trip were Akaito and Nigaito. Akaito couldn't stand the thought of being away from his precious video games for too long and Kaito wasn't allowing him to bring his hand helds! Nigaito on the other hand was sneezing up a storm in the camp area. He stayed by the fire 24/7 hoping if he kept warm it would help his sickness.

Currently, Kikaito and Akaito were off gathering fire wood. While picking up sticks, Akaito had felt something on his legs and that was how the two got to where they were now.

"Kikaito! It's on my hip! It's making it's way to my FACE! Seriously! Stop laughing and get it off me!" Akaito said in more of a squeaky voice than an angry voice. He was now really starting to panic.

"Don't be such a baby!" Kikaito gasped finally finding air between his laughter to actually speak.

"That's easy for you to say! You don't have a bug the size of a football on you!"

"Oh please. It's not that big! Besides you-"

"JUST GET IT OFF!" Akaito bellowed again. Kikaito snickered one last time.

"Alright alright. Let me get this little guy to safety from the big red scary monster. Give me a sec"

Akaito just whimpered pathetically as the beetle lazily made it way up up his chest.

Kikaito smiled at the small insect as he reached for it gently with his non cybernetic arm. The beetle looked up, threatened, as he saw the large appendage coming towards it.

However, before Kikaito could cup his hand around the small critter, another hand shot out and grasped Kikaito's wrist tightly.

Kikaito blinked and looked up to the one now standing to his right. The moment he saw the black hair and goth makeup, Kikaito's whole system began to grow cold.

The virus was touching him...

Kikaito was so stunned that Zeito had the gall to come in and just violate Kikaito's personal bubble without so much as an "excuse me" that he sat there gaping at Zeito as Zeito quickly tore the beetle off of Akaito's coat by the back of it's abdomen.

The beetle thrashed around confused, but unhurt.

Akaito sighed dramatically before his back hit the forest floor in relief.

As Kikaito's senses finally came to, his system was filled with inexplicable anger. Zeito had just come in, g_rabbed him, _ and "rescued" Akaito to steal Kikaito's spotlight. Who the hell did this guy think he was?!

Kikaito loathed Zeito with a passion. Whenever Zeito was around his system never felt right. He was always filled with dread when he looked at Zeito.

Since day one Kikaito hated Zeito.

For the most part, the Shion family had gotten over the fact that they thought Zeito was a virus and each of the brothers had pretty much accepted Zeito into the family in one way or another.

Not Kikaito.

As far as the yellow one was concerned, Zeito WAS a virus. His system acting so violently whenever he was around was proof enough for him. He would never accept the..._thing_ know as Zeito before him.

And it was TOUCHING HIM!

Kikaito ground his teeth together and a growl threatened to tear from his throat.

"Don't you DARE touch m-"

Kikaito made to violently rip his arm out of Zeito's grasp, but at that exact moment, Zeito decided to let Kikaito's arm go. The result turned into Kikaito smacking himself in the face.

Zeito blinked in confusion as Kikaito backed up in pain. Akaito burst into laughter having witnessed the whole thing.

Kikaito snarled at Zeito knowing Zeito had done that on purpose. Zeito just stared at him blankly just like he ALWAYS had. The now calm beetle was contently waving it's antenna around as it crawled around on Zeito's palm.

THAT STARE

Kikaito always hated that stare. It gave him chills and horrible feelings in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't stand it.

"I'VE TOLD YOU NOT TO LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" Kikaito bellowed ignoring Akaito's hysterical laughter.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Kikaito yelled as he swiped his hand.

Zeito could see he was not wanted so he didn't need telling twice. With out so much as a nod or shrug he turned around and he and his new insect friend took off.

"AND WOULD YOU STOP LAUGHING?!" Kikaito rounded on Akaito his anger from Zeito's visit still not drained.

"Serves you right!" Akaito laughed.

"SHUT IT!"

Akaito blinked at Kikaito's drastic demeanor change. It was horribly rare to see Kikaito in any mood other than happy.

"Dude. What's your problem?" Akaito asked crossing his arms. Kikaito blinked and realized he was beginning to take his anger out on Akaito. He didn't want that.

Kikaito took a deep breath and calmed himself quickly.

"Sorry..." he apologized. "I just can't STAND that creep!" Kikaito said glaring to where Zeito had walked off.

"Zeito?" Akaito asked looking to where Kikaito looked off to. "What your problem with him? I know the guy is boring as all hell, and annoying sometimes too, but he's not all that bad"

Kikaito's eyebrow twitched as he heard these words.

"Since when have you been all chummy with Zeito?!" Kikaito snapped feeling slightly hurt that the one person he thought who would agree with him was actually _defending_ Zeito.

"Whoa! Whoa! Zeito and I are NOT 'chummy'!" Akaito said defensively.

"All I'm saying is that you seriously over react when he's around. What the heck is your problem with the guy? He's not THAT bad is all I'm saying!"

Kikaito sighed and crossed his arms.

"Forget it. You wouldn't understand" Kikaito pouted not really sure how to explain his hatred towards Zeito either.

"No seriously dude" Akaito insisted. "Tell me. What's up?"

Per usual it didn't take Akaito too much persuading to get Kikaito to vent about Zeito. Kikaito was always looking for an excuse.

"I HATE HIM!" Kikaito screamed throwing his arms into the air "Whenever he's around no one is EVER happy! I try so hard to smile when he's around, but it's impossible! Whenever he looks at me, I just-! I just-! AAAHHHH! He's so frustrating! My whole body just starts shaking! I get so MAD!"

Kikaito began to subconsciously pace back and forth in front of Akaito.

"I don't know what it is. I so much as THINK about his face and I'm SO pissed off! Everything that bastard stands for is the exact opposite of me! He's never done a single thing except piss me off! I can't explain it! His existence just pisses me the hell off!"

Akaito's wide smirk made Kikaito blink in confusion. Akaito was looking at him like he was telling a hilarious story.

"WHAT?!" He roared at Akaito "What is so funny?!"

Akaito's smirk only got wider.

" Nothing! Nothing...it's just...welllll..."

Akaito looked Kikaito up and down and it was apparent he was trying not to laugh again.

"You got to admit Kikaito...unexplainable anger whenever Zeito is around? Getting weak in the knees every time he looks at you?"

Another smirk

"Are you sure you don't love Zeito more than just a brother?"

A loud clang rang out into the trees as Kikaito's smacked Akaito upside the head with his cybernetic arm.

"OW! SUNNOVA-! I WAS JOKING YOU ASS!"

But Kikaito was stomping back towards camp NOT in a joking mood.

00000000000000000

Akaito whined that afternoon as Kaito confiscated his PSP that Akaito had tried so hard to smuggle to camp with him. The two were currently yelling at each other.

Kageito could be seen playing within the dancing shadows of the trees, playing "Keep Away" with the light.

Nigaito sipped at his tea miserable as he sat by the fire that Taito was attending to.

Kikaito was doing chores around the campsite as he tried his hardest not to think about Zeito. The place where Zeito had grasped his wrist was still tingling and Kikaito became nervous that it may have been the start of a virus infection. He pushed it out of his head figuring he was probably over reacting, but something in the back of his head was not letting him think about anything else.

Kikaito flashed a glare over at Zeito who sat by the fire with Taito. However, as Kikaito looked over at them he noticed that Zeito was looking _right_ at him. Kikaito and Zeito locked eyes for a few seconds before Kikaito broke his glare and continued to work on the tent he was currently pitching.

Kikaito grumbled to himself as he bent the flimsy rods into the thin fabric. He couldn't STAND that stare of Zeito's! It would be another thing if Zeito was glaring angrily back at him, but Zeito didn't have any expression on his face! It bugged Kikaito how emotionless the guy could be. Why was he so creepy?

Kikaito's got a chill down his spine. He was reminded of the human expression of hairs standing up on the back of the neck. Someone was staring at him...

Kikaito rounded back to look at Zeito.

Zeito's eyes were boring into him from the other side of the campsite. For the hundredth time in the time Kikaito knew Zeito, he was lost in this glare. Kikaito's breathing became shallow as Zeito stared at him. The air got colder and colder. Kikaito was freezing...

He was scared...

That was the only emotion Kikaito could put to this feeling. Zeito terrified him. He hated to admit it, but that was exactly what was happening as the two stared at each other...

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" Kikaito screamed standing up violently letting the half pitched tent fall to the ground.

The campsite went silent as all eyes turned to Kikaito's outburst. Kaito and Akaito stopped yelling at each other, Kageito stopped playing, everything went dead silent. Zeito did not look away from Kikaito. He continued to stare at him. Blankly...emotionlessly...

The faint chirping of birds sounded throughout the camp as everyone silently looked at Kikaito. Kikaito looked to each of his brothers suddenly becoming conscious of his action. Color came to his cheeks in embarrassment.

"I...Um...I..."

He looked around for help, but everyone just continued to look at him.

"I'm going to take a walk!"

Kikaito announced to everyone before quickly walking off not wanting to bring any more attention to himself.

The camp remained quiet as they blinked after Kikaito.

00000000000000000

Kikaito stomped through brush not at all following any set path. He just wanted to get as far away from that campsite as possible. If he could find a nice place to sit and clear his head, he felt he would be able to get over this. All he needed was a breather from Zeito, compose himself and bring his smile back. Kikaito looked up at the cloudy sky above him and took a deep breath already feeling a little better now that he was out of the vicinity of Zeito.

He could do this...

A loud _ SNAP_ of a twig breaking sounded behind him. Kikaito jumped and span around hoping to GOD Zeito hadn't followed him. However as Kikaito looked behind him, he saw no one...

Kikaito blinked confused as he looked to the trees trying to find any small animals that may have caused it. There was no way a twig would make that kind of noise without it being stepped on.

The forest was still. Other then chirping birds in the distance, it was dead quiet. There was no one around. Kikaito suddenly got an eerie feeling and he didn't want to be standing there alone anymore.

The feeling he was being watched returned to Kikaito. Fear began to re enter his system.

Kikaito always figured he'd be the one laughing and reassuring his brothers that there was nothing scary about a forest. Yet here he was quivering in terror.

Kikaito bit his lip trying to reassure himself that he was hearing things. He shook his head and continued forward. He was out here trying to find solace! Not to be scared of the thought of someone following him deep into the woods...

He was fine.

Another _SNAP_ of a twig behind him and Kikaito burst into a full-out sprint. He didn't even bother to look behind him to see who was following him.

He knew it was Zeito.

He knew the virus was trying to catch him alone.

He did know why nor did he care to know what the hell Zeito would want with him alone in a forest. Kikaito didn't want to be caught by him. He could escape. He didn't want to be infected...

Kikaito grabbed onto a thin tree and changed directions quickly kicking up leaves and dirt as he skid. He looked behind him hoping, HOPING no one was behind him.

No one was there...

Kikaito slowed his running as he looked. He had expected to see a crazed virus infected Zeito chasing behind him. He wasn't quite sure why that had been the image in his head. As he thought about it now, it seem a bit silly. His imagination had taken off when he had gotten scared by the noise behind him.

Kikaito took a deep breath and tried to think clearly as his run slowly but surely turned back in walking. He was over reacting. There probably had never been anyone behind him in the first place. His system was just a little upset from the scene back at the camp. He was going to be okay. Kikaito turned back to look in front of him.

If Kikaito's voice hadn't caught in his throat he swore he would have just screamed by the sight of person standing in front of him...

Zeito stood a good 10 feet in front of Kikaito, arms crossed, as if waiting for him.

No, Zeito WAS waiting for him. Kikaito could feel it. Zeito had been the one behind him. Zeito wanted something with Kikaito.

But how had Zeito gotten in front of him if Kikaito had sprinted after hearing Zeito BEHIND him?

Kikaito took a step backwards as his system made him begin to hyperventilate. Waves upon waves of terror were washing over Kikaito as he stared at Zeito's blank eyes, that were boring into him once again. Only this time, Kikaito felt as if his life was in danger. He felt threatened. He felt a need to defend himself.

This was something out of a horror book!

Zeito just teleporting all over the forest stalking him... Kikaito felt as if this should have taken place at night while he was holding a flashlight gathering pieces of creepy paper off of trees or something.

Kikaito gulped as the two stared each other down. He was expecting to hear static and then Zeito appear in front of him. The way Zeito was looking at him...Kikaito wanted to grab his head and run screaming.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Kikaito shrieked at Zeito before he turned to his right to to flee once again. The next thing that happened made Kikaito's heart nearly stop.

Zeito grabbed his shoulder from behind.

Zeito had been standing a good 10 feet away from him a split second ago... In order for Zeito to close that kind of distance in that amount of time...Zeito couldn't be of this world!

Kikaito's terrorized system switched to panic defense mode and Kikaito swung around and made to back fist Zeito.

Zeito blinked, ducking just in time to miss Kikaito's cybernetic arm. However Kikaito was threatened, and he was fighting for his life. Kikaito screamed as he threw another punch at Zeito.

Zeito stepped back before blocking the punch by shoving it away from his face.

This pattern began to repeat as Kikaito punched and kicked at Zeito hoping to god the monster would get away from him. However, Kikaito had next to zero combat experience. Zeito on the other hand fought with Taito on a near regular basis. It was very clear who of the two was more skilled.

Kikaito's fist missed Zeito's face by an inch as Zeito stepped back before Zeito reached into his pocket and pulled out his signature yo-yo which Kikaito knew Zeito used to defend himself.

However, Zeito paused as he pulled the yo-yo out. He had always used his yo-yo to defend himself against Taito. He only used this yo-yo for fighting when he absolutely had to. He didn't want to fight Kikaito...

Kikaito saw that hesitation...

Zeito's yo-yo went flying into the brush as Kikaito slapped it out of Zeito's hand. Zeito blinked but didn't have time to register his lost item as Kikaito grabbed him and shoved him into the nearest tree violently.

Kikaito pulled back his fist to finish Zeito off while he had the opening.

Kikaito's fist trembled as he fought with himself.

No!

He was better than this!

He wasn't a violent vocaloid! He was supposed to be the happy one of the family! The nice one! He was above this!

He tried to remember his master's scolding face as she screamed him for hurting Zeito last time.

Kikaito couldn't hurt him...

Zeito had hesitated for him, he owed Zeito that favor...

Kikaito screamed in terror and anger as he brought his fist down and punched the tree trunk he had Zeito pinned against. The wood splintered and cratered where Kikaito's cybernetic arm impacted it.

There was a tense moment as Zeito stared at Kikaito blankly and Kikaito breathed heavily, the fear in his system still running fresh. They stood like this, with Kikaito pressing Zeito against the tree for many seconds...

Kikaito gritted his teeth as his fear began to morph into pure unadulterated rage.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!" He screamed at the unmoving Zeito. "WHY WERE YOU FOLLOWING ME?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

Zeito just blinked at him, his stare as unnerving as it had always been. Kikaito grabbed his head and snarled in frustration still fighting with himself not to punch Zeito in the face.

"DO YOU EVEN CARE?!" Kikaito bellowed with fury lacing every word. "DO YOU EVEN CARE WHAT YOU DO TO ME?!"

Kikaito grabbed Zeito by the front of his scarf and brought Zeito close to his face.

"I'm supposed to be the HAPPY one in the family!" He yelled voicing what had been on his mind "And whenever I see you! You! YOOOOU!"

Kikaito couldn't help but shake Zeito violently. Despite the rough treatment, Zeito's expression never changed. It was INFURIATING!

Kikaito slammed Zeito back into the tree.

"I know what you are..." he hissed. "The others may have forgotten, but I never had.

You're a virus. You've always been a virus whether you know it or not! That's why you can affect my systems the way you do to make me so angry!"

Kikaito narrowed his eyes at Zeito's blank ones

"I'm more susceptible to your virus than the others because of my cybernetic parts. The other haven't felt the effect of your virus yet, but I know you're infecting them too. I know you're infecting the entire family just like you're infecting me RIGHT NOW!"

There was murder in Kikaito eyes. It was taking him everything he had not to grab Zeito's neck and kill him right there and right now. He couldn't believe this! Kikaito Shion was considering MURDER!

This wasn't him! This was Zeito's virus talking! He was nice! He had to keep reminding himself of this! He was supposed to be nice!

Despite Kikaito's heavy words, Zeito was still unmoving. Just as Kikaito had suspected. Zeito DIDN'T care. He speculated that Zeito didn't know about his own virus, but after finally spilling all of his worries to Zeito, with NO reaction, he was convinced Zeito DID know about his virus effect. He had been plotting against the family this entire time. He was infecting them all.

"GO DIE SOMEWHERE!"

Kikaito screamed in Zeito's face as he held Zeito to the tree.

"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST SLIT YOUR WRISTS LIKE GOTHS ARE SUPPOSED TO?! GO JUMP OFF A CLIFF! THIS FAMILY WAS ALWAYS BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU! EVERYONE WOULD BE HAPPIER WITH YOU DEAD!"

Kikaito's system jumped in shock for the third time that day, as someone roughly put their hand on Kikaito's shoulder from behind. At this point Kikaito decided that he now had a fear of people touching him.

Terror and anger still running through his system, Kikaito's body reacted on it's own. He swung around and made to back fist the perpetrator as he had attempted to do to Zeito.

Only... Kikaito's fist was stopped dead in it's tracks and caught by the hand of a VERY angry Kaito Shion standing behind him.

Kikaito's eyes widened as he looked to his brother who stood there holding his fist.

"Apologize..."

Kaito hissed, his anger radiating of of him. Kikaito had to blink several times to even register that it was Kaito standing behind him.

"APPOLOGIZE TO ZEITO RIGHT NOW!" Kaito roared rattling Kikaito's system to the core.

"N-NO!" Kikaito roared back at Kaito. He had absolutely no intention to apologize for saying something he had meant. He began to round his fear and anger on Kaito.

He didn't want this...

He didn't want to fight with Kaito.

This was Zeito and his damn virus's fault! He had to fight it!

"Kikaito what's gotten IN to you?!" Kaito asked "This isn't like you!"

Kikaito bit his lip. He wanted to explain to Kaito. He wanted to tell him that Zeito was making him act like this! That this was Zeito speaking! But he didn't know where to start or how to word it

Kikaito just ground his teeth as a deep glare set onto his features and tears threatened to spill from his eyes just from the sheer rage of it all.

"Ah! Z-Zeito!" Kaito called behind Kikaito. Kikaito blinked and turned to the tree he had Zeito pinned against. He was gone...When had he-?!

Kikaito saw Zeito heading in the opposite direction of the two, hands in his pockets, already a good thirty feet from them! HOW?!

Kikaito turned back to Kaito and was faced with Kaito's renewed glare.

Kaito pointed in the opposite direction of Zeito.

"Take a walk" Kaito glared "You need to clear your head and start thinking straight. When you're sane, I want you back at the camp and the first thing you do is apologize to Zeito"

Kikaito's glared at Kaito.

"That's what I was trying to do in the first pl-"

"GO!" Kaito roared putting Kikaito's anger to shame. Kikaito just turned away from his brother sharply and stomped off in the opposite direction of Zeito.

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After an hour and a half of constantly checking behind him, Kikaito was FINALLY convinced that Zeito hadn't followed him this time.

He now walked alongside a turbulent creek. The white waters of the creek crashed and roared and pretty much voiced Kikaito's feelings.

Kikaito kicked a rock and tried to sort through the many things running through his head. He thought of his Master and her loving attitude towards Zeito. He thought of Kaito and how Kaito had screamed at him trying to get him to apologize to Zeito. He thought of Akaito trying to stand up for Zeito that morning.

Why did everyone like Zeito so much? Why did he hate Zeito to the degree that he did?

Was Akaito right? Did he just...over-react every time he saw him? But why did he feel so uncomfortable when the black Shion was near? It couldn't have...JUST been him could it be? Kikaito wondered...

Kikaito looked over to the raging water he walked along side. There were so many things he wanted to know the answer to.

Kikaito blinked as he looked ahead of him. The white water widened as it came to a thrashing and spraying pool. Right ahead of the pool was a roaring cliff.

A waterfall...

Kikaito couldn't help but smile at the thought of one of natures most gorgeous creations. He jumped up onto some rocks that lay about the edge of the cliff. There were large rocks, small rocks, humongous boulders that lay around this pool of water. Kikaito had been so focused on thinking about Zeito he hadn't even realized the beautiful land scape he was approaching.

He knew this was the exact place to find the much needed solace he had been searching for...

Jumping in between two large boulders that lay at the very edge of the cliff, Kikaito carefully looked out over the edge.

The sight was breath taking...

The cliff was a straight drop that looked way over 100 feet. But this gave Kikaito a view of miles upon miles of glittering forest and trees.

Almost as if right on cue, the sun suddenly ripped through the cloud and a ray of sunshine broke from the clouds momentarily. This caused a small rainbow to form beside the waterfall.

This place was too gorgeous...Kikaito looked up to the sun ray brightly finally feeling warm for the first time that day. It felt wonderful...

Kikaito sat down between those two boulders and just soaked in the sun shine. He couldn't help but smile here. He was overjoyed with the fact that he could finally smile again. Now the only thing he had to do was confront his problems and figure out how to "apologize" to Zeito when he got back to camp.

Kikaito shook his head. He would think about Zeito later. Now, he just needed to take a deep breath and enjoy himself.

Kikaito found it strange that he could find a rock so comfortable, as he lay on his back and looked up to the rolling clouds that every now and then let a peep of sunshine through. The day was warm. He just wanted to take a nap and forget everything that was troubling him.

Kikaito closed his eyes and did just that.

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Hours ticked by and Kikaito got some wonderful sleep in. Even after waking up he didn't feel like getting up, so he didn't. He just lay on his warm rock and let his thoughts laze by. He was content here. Not even Zeito was going to ruin his day from here on out.

Kikaito now had the ability to think about Zeito without his system churning in disgust. Just enough time away from the black Shion was all Kikaito had needed.

Kikaito owed Zeito an apology...

Kikaito knew this. He had shouted things he had not meant because he had been scared. He didn't understand why Zeito scared him so much. He knew his fear how to be confronted in order to become on the same page with Zeito. If he didn't fear Zeito the way he did, Kikaito was sure there was hope for him and Zeito's relationship.

He needed to sit Zeito down and just speak with him. Zeito wouldn't need to say anything. Kikaito just needed to get a bunch of things off his chest. Perhaps there was a chance that Zeito would open up to Kikaito and speak to him? Kikaito didn't know why but this thought made him happy.

He would love nothing more if he and Zeito were friends. If maybe Zeito could could come out of his shell and confide in Kikaito? Kikaito loved that idea. A small voice in the back of his head told him this was nigh impossible, but his optimistic heart shut that voice up and kept dreaming.

Kikaito then decided then and there, the next time he saw Zeito, he was going to be the nicest and greatest brother he could be to Zeito.

Kikaito sat up from his resting place deeming he should head back to camp to apologize. After some nice rest and solace, he was looking forward to being nice to Zeito.

As Kikaito came around the side of the boulder he had been resting on, his eyes widened in horror and his blood ran cold.

Zeito was approaching the little paradise he had found...

Kikaito immediately ducked back behind the boulder and pressed his back up against it hoping to god Zeito hadn't seen him.

What the HELL was he doing here?! Had he followed Kikaito AGAIN?! Was he out just to ruin Kikaito's perfect moment?! Right when Kikaito thought he was starting to enjoy his day for the first time?!

Kikaito ground his teeth in anger. What had he been saying about being nice to Zeito again? This guy was a living nightmare! There was no way Kikaito would EVER be nice to him! He HATED HIM! There was no doubt about it! Zeito was here JUST to ruin his nice time! JERK! Kikaito was going to make him PAY for this! SCREW AN APOLOGY!

Kikaito peered around from the large rock pretty much expecting Zeito to be glaring at him from the other side of the river.

However...

It seemed Zeito had NOT come here for Kikaito. Zeito was looking down at the ground, every once and a while glancing at the white river, very similar to what Kikaito had done on his way here. Just like Kikaito, Zeito glanced up to be surprised by the beautiful outlet of water that led to the waterfall.

Kikaito frowned.

Of course Zeito hadn't been following him. Kikaito had taken a nap and had been here for hours. If Zeito had been following him here, he probably would have revealed himself hours ago. Their meeting here was purely coincidental.

Kikaito pushed himself further behind the rock while still keeping an eye on Zeito. He did not want to be seen. If all went well, Zeito would turn around and keep going and they wouldn't have to interact at all.

Kikaito watched as Zeito approached the edge of the waterfall on the opposite side of the pool just as he had. He watched as Zeito looked over the edge and saw the gorgeous spectacle just as he had. Kikaito was aware of the fact that Zeito enjoyed nature. A view of like this just had to be something would very much enjoy.

Zeito just stood there looking at the wonderful sight and it was made clear to Kikaito that Zeito was NOT going to be leaving any time soon.

A large vein popped on Kikaito's forehead as he realized he would have to give this spot up if he wanted to be away from Zeito. Well whatever...he had been planning to go back to camp anyway! He didn't care! The jerk goth could HAVE this spot all he wanted!

Kikaito took note that Zeito had his eyes fixated on the view that he was paying attention to nothing else. This was Kikaito's chance to escape unnoticed by Zeito.

Kikaito quickly slipped past his rocks and jumped back down onto the dirt quietly. He made one last glance at Zeito and sighed in relief seeing Zeito hadn't noticed him.

Kikaito began to make his way back to camp, but then stopped as he realized how ridiculous he was being.

He had JUST told himself he was going to try and get along with Zeito. He had found happiness in imagining Zeito speaking with him. Confiding in him. And here he was turning his back onto Zeito.

Kikaito remembered how Zeito had walked up the pathway to the waterfall. He had been glancing around at the water very similar to how Kikaito had. This only meant that something had been troubling Zeito as well right?

Kikaito blinked as he recalled Zeito's expression as he looked out to the gorgeous view of the forest. It had only been a few seconds ago, but at the time he hadn't really been paying attention to Zeito's face. As Kikaito envisioned it now, he recalled it looking...remorseful? Was that the emotion he had seen?

Was Zeito upset? As upset as Kikaito had been? Was that why the two had both found this place? Because they were both trying to find solace?

If that were the case, then it couldn't have been a coincidence that they had both come to the same place. Was it possible that they were meant to find solace in each other?

Kikaito couldn't imagine the thought of that, but he remembered that he promised himself that the next time he saw Zeito he was going to be nice. That he was going to be the best brother he could be.

He could do this. He could speak to Zeito. He could help him...

Kikaito turned back around to face Zeito and at that moment, Kikaito swore, the world slowed down and suddenly stopped.

Zeito was looking to the sky as he stood on the edge of the waterfall. Tears washed his black makeup down his face as he smiled.

Kikaito's eyes widened in horror once more that day as the world began to spin slower and slower, the sound of the surrounding birds began to mute, the sun turned dark, and Kikaito's system turned to ice.

Zeito let his body fall forward off the waterfall and out of sight...

…..

Kikaito opened his mouth and no sound ripped forth as he screamed the most painful silent scream. He couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him as he looked to the empty cliff side where Zeito had just been standing moments before.

As if in a dream where you can never run properly, Kikaito ran forward, his body feeling heavier than ever. Unable to run fast enough, Kikaito scrambled to the cliff side in slow motion.

He didn't know what he was expecting to see as he looked over the edge. He didn't know if wanted to see _anything_!

The cliff was so high it was hard to see the bottom. The roaring waterfall was spraying white foam in all direction at the bottom, making Kikaito unable to see anything anyways. Needless to say, there was nothing but shallow water and sharp water at the bottom of this cliff.

Kikaito stared horrified at the white haze of the waterfall for what seemed like minutes. What he had seen couldn't have been real. He must have imagined Zeito coming to this place. He must have imagined Zeito looking from this exact location at the gorgeous view in front of him. He must have imagined Zeito jumping off a c-

…..

…...

"_GO JUMP OFF A CLIFF!"_

Kikaito's own words echoed through his head as his eyes kept getting wider and wider. He suddenly felt like throwing up. This had been HIS fault. This was NOT a dream. He had just KILLED Zeito. What was he supposed to tell the others?!

He looked around panicked wondering what to do. Wondering how he could reverse this. There was no way Zeito had survived that fall. Kikaito's optimism had it limits. The only way anyone could survive a fall of that height was if they were half cyborg-

Kikaito blinked at this thought as he looked down at his metallic arm. Only a half cyborg could survive a fall like...

Kikaito body began to move on it's own. He had no control of what he did next...

Why was he ripping his coat off?

Why was he taking steps back away from the edge?...

…..

Why was he crying?

"I'm sorry..."

Kikaito whimpered as he charged at the cliff...

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_Pain._

The water was a mixture of red and white with the mixing foam and blood.

Kikaito had never told anyone this fact before, but he was aquaphiobic.

Kikaito didn't know how to swim. Or rather...he didn't have the ability to swim. His heavy metal parts always weighed him down and prevented him from having any sort of buoyancy.

Kikaito had never minded shallow water, like streams or creeks. But he had always been terrified near deep pools of water.

He had a rightful fear. He always sank straight to the bottom of any body of water.

Why had he thought jumping into the deep water after Zeito had been a good idea? Now the only thing that would happen was a watery death for both of them.

Kikaito hated himself so much right now...

Red...

That's all Kikaito could remember under the water's surface. A mixture of his and Zeito's blood. His vision became more and more red as water filled his lungs. There was no way he would be able to make it out of this alive...He began to drown along side Zeito.

He had to make this right some how...

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A majestic waterfall stood overlooking the gorgeous forest it inhabited.

Below the amazing spectacle stood a small but deep pool of water. The water churned and roared proudly underneath the waterfall. However, there was no one around to enjoy the amazing piece of work that nature had given the forest.

The water sparkled amazingly undisturbed by nothing other than the waterfall backing it. It was this undisturbed water that Kikaito erupted forth from gasping for dear life. His deafening gasp for air nearly sounded like a scream. Not even he quite knew how he had survived the fall and water. All he could remember was the red and the water invading his lungs. Despite this, his body had kept moving. His body couldn't stop...

Kikaito coughed up water from his lungs as he weakly made his way to the rocky water's edge, dragging a limp form behind him.

Kikaito collapsed on the warm rocks surrounding the pool of water. He was drenched in water and blood. His body was numb and he had no idea how badly he was damaged. He just wanted to lay on these rocks forever and sleep.

He coughed up another mouthful of water unsure of how he was still alive for being under water for so long. What was worse is that Zeito had been under for far longer than he had been due to Kikaito's stupid panicking.

Kikaito looked weakly up to the limp form next to him. When had he found Zeito in the water? He couldn't quite recall that part. What mattered is that Zeito was here beside him now.

"Zeito..."

Kikaito called out weakly, not bothering to lift his head. Zeito did not stir. He was eerily still as Kikaito look at his form.

Kikaito blinked at how still Zeito was being. No one could be that still unless...

Rocks and gravel were pushed aside as Kikaito sat up violently and scrambled over to Zeito's side.

Zeito wasn't breathing...

"Zeito!" Kikaito screamed grabbing his brother's shoulders and shaking him.

Zeito was unresponsive as Kikaito held him. Adrenaline shot through Kikaito's weak system slamming him back into reality and out of the near death dream state he had been in.

Kikaito shoved the black Shion back onto the ground and slammed his lips roughly against Zeito's.

Like most Vocaloids, Kikaito knew basic first aid, in case anything ever happened to his master. It was standard now a days for most Vocaloids to have this pre-programmed into their memories. However, Kikaito had NO idea whether this information stored into his memories at ALL applied to other Vocaloids, as he began to push on Zeito's chest.

CPR was invented to help jump start the human respiratory system. Was the human respiratory system and Vocaloids the same? Did vocaloid even HAVE lungs? It was obvious that Vocaloids needed to breathe, but in the same way as humans? Kikaito had absolutely NO idea and it was terrifying him. He checked for breathing, received nothing and slammed their mouths together again.

He hoped to god that the Vocaloids breathing and humans were something of the same. He didn't want to be applying this stupid information for nothing. He had just jumped off a CLIFF to save his brother. He would be damned if he was going to have Zeito die now.

Kikaito switched from mouth to mouth to pushing onto Zeito stomach for many minutes. Minutes slowly ticked by and absolutely nothing happened. Kikaito looked at Zeito as the black Shion lay in a pool of water and his own blood.

"Don't die!" Kikaito sobbed and he punched Zeito in the stomach for good measure, with no result. Kikaito grabbed his head and began to sob.

"Zeito you can't DO this to me! Don't go! Don't go! ZEITO!"

Kikaito remembered Zeito's troubled expression as he looked over the cliff. It had been HIS fault! If only Kikaito had just come out of hiding and SAID something! This would have NEVER of happened. Every last bit of this situation was his fault and he couldn't stand it! He could let it just end like this.

"I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON YOU!" He screamed at Zeito's still form. "SO DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!"

Kikaito and Zeito's lips met once more as Kikaito returned to his ministrations full vigor, absolutely determined to continue giving Zeito CPR for the rest of his life if it took that long to help Zeito.

Zeito's eyes snapped open and his back arched violently at water came gushing from his throat as he choked and coughed. Kikaito sat up shocked, as he watched Zeito writhe on the ground spitting and gagging up water.

Kikaito can't help the booming and joyous laugh that ripped from his throat as he picked up the thoroughly confused Zeito and pulled him into a tight hug.

"You're okay! You're alive!" he laughed, almost sobbing.

Zeito only blinked multiple times, confused about where he was and who this person hugging him was. His near death experience had his memory system in chaos as it whirled around trying to remember what had happened. The last thing he could recall was Kaito asking Zeito's opinion on how well a Shion camping trip would go.

Zeito looked at the yellow Shion holding him. He was...one of his brothers right?

Kikaito held Zeito out at arm's length and looked him over. He couldn't help the soft laughter that continued to tumble out of his mouth. He then looked down at the ground and his eyes were hidden in shadow as his shoulders continued to shake in laughter...in sorrow...

In anger...

Kikaito's head snapped up, and his face was livid.

"ZEITO!" He screamed.

Zeito only had time to blink once more before a horrible pain teared through his jaw, and he was thrown backwards a couple feet by Kikaito's punch.

"I AM GOING TO _KILL_ YOU!" Kikaito roared and he stood up and marched towards Zeito threateningly.

Zeito scrambled to his feet, his system still confused and not at 100%.

Zeito next actions were from pure muscle memory. From fights upon fights with the purple Shion who Zeito could not quite recall the name of. Zeito blocked Kikaito's next punch and ducked behind him. But Kikaito was PISSED. He had murder in his eyes despite the fact he had just saved Zeito.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS!" Kikaito shrieked as Zeito was forced to block another powerful punch. The amount of force Kikaito was putting into these attacks, Zeito was sure that his arms he was blocking with would be bruised if not fractured the next day.

Kikaito attacks got faster and faster, and Zeito didn't think he would be able to keep up any longer. When had Kikaito gotten so good at thi-...?

Kikaito...

That was the yellow one's name...

In that moment of hesitation and realization, Kikaito's fist met with Zeito's stomach. Zeito's eyes widened and he was thrown backwards by a much greater distance. He felt like a skipping stone as his back slammed into the ground kicking up dirt and gravel every where before he bounced and rolled several times and finally came to a sudden halt as he violently slammed into a tree.

Instead of coughing up blood as Zeito had expected the impact to cause, he could do nothing but throw up another round of water lodged in his throat.

Zeito tried to push himself off the ground, but his system was screaming at him loudly to stay down. If Zeito had been human he knew that impact would have broken his back if not full out killed him.

Zeito blinked as Kikaito's foot stomped into his field of vision. He looked up weakly at the infuriated Kikaito towering over him and in that moment every last memory rushed back to Zeito. He remembered Kikaito screaming at him, he remembered following Kikaito in the forest, the beetle, Kaito telling Kikaito to apologize, his self loathing, the water fall,...the jump...

Zeito was...alive?

How?

He was picked up by the front of the scarf and Zeito felt a sense of deja vu as he was slammed up against the tree and Kikaito pulled his fist back to finish Zeito off. Kikaito fist trembled as his fist refused to come down. He glared daggers at Zeito as tears streamed down his face.

Zeito fell to the ground, unable to hold himself up as Kikaito let go of his scarf. However, Kikaito followed closely behind him as he fell to his knees and began to cry.

"Oh God Zeito..." Kikaito deep voice cracked. "I'm sorry..."

Zeito watched as Kikaito kneeled there trying to speak, but unable to form sentences through his tears.

"I never wanted you t-...This my fau-...I shouldn't have said those thi-... I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

For the uncountable time that day, a hand was placed on Kikaito's shoulder. But this time Kikaito didn't jump, he wasn't terrified. In fact, he wanted this contact. He looked up at Zeito as tears continued to run down his face.

"Smile..." Zeito requested. Kikaito always knew that Zeito could speak, but this was the first time he had ever heard his voice. How ironic that these would be Zeito's first words to Kikaito.

"I just wanted to see you smile again..."

Kikaito's could only tear up even more at this sentence, and he pulled Zeito into another hug.

"Idiot!"

He sobbed.

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Kikaito was covered in fresh bandages since Taito had been so kind to pack extra for the trip. His wounds weren't as severe as he had originally thought, but he still had a slight limp as he trudged through the brush looking down at the small book Akaito had thrown at his head that morning.

It had been a catalog of forest insects.

"_Check THIS out moron!"_

Akaito had yelled, dog-earing the page before throwing it at him. The page Akaito had been referring to was that depicting a bright black and yellow beetle. It was the exact same beetle that had been crawling up Akaito's leg the day prior.

It was poisonous...

Zeito had stopped Kikaito from grabbing the beetle with his non cybernetic hand because...

It suddenly made sense...

Kikaito had marched away from camp not too soon afterward. Kaito had protested because of Kikaito's wounds, but Kikaito told him he _had_ to do this and he would be back in a few minutes.

Kikaito felt terrible after finding out about the beetle. He had to make it up to Zeito somehow, and he knew the first thing he was going to do.

Kikaito was now currently scouring the forest floor for Zeito's lost yo-yo. He had found the splintered tree where he had almost punched Zeito. He knew the yo-yo would be here somewhere...

In retrospect finding a BLACK yo-yo on the forest floor seemed futile, but Kikaito was determined to look for as long as it took.

Checking behind some brush, Kikaito yelled in shocked as there suddenly wasn't ground beneath his feet. Thinking fast he reached out and his hand luckily caught a strong tree root, stopping his decent.

Kikaito's eyes widened as he saw the large gorge in the ground. It was perfectly hidden in the brush and had been near impossible to see unless you were looking for it.

Kikaito looked to the bottom, and decided he had a new fear of heights suddenly.

Kikaito slowly pushed himself up and out of the rocky pit. He was happy he had fast reflexes that could save him so quickly. If he had not been paying attention or not looking where he was going he most certainly would have falle-

…..

…...

Zeito...

The day they were last here, Kikaito had been running away from Zeito not at ALL looking where he was going. Had Zeito possibly known about this pit and had been trying to warn him?

Kikaito blinked as he saw the yo-yo right in front of his face, as if waiting for this exact moment to be found.

That jerk Zeito had been doing NOTHING but PROTECTING him this entire trip!

Kikaito reached out and picked up the small yo-yo he had stolen from Zeito.

"Idiot..."

he hissed down at the yo-yo's as tears began to cloud his vision once more.

"IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST _SAY_ SOMETHING?!"

Kikaito hugged the yo-yo close to his chest and he sobbed once more.

"Why don't you ever just talk to me?"


	7. Master

"You don't have a scarf?"

The master asked incredulously looking up at the newly made Shion. In all her years of making Shions, each Shion had always came with a scarf when they were first made. The fact that this black Shion did not have a pre-programed scarf thoroughly confused her.

"Well that just won't do!" she said matter of factly crossing her arms. No Shion was complete without their very own scarf. This Shion would be no different.

"Come over here~!" she said cheerily to the new Shion, grabbing his pale hand and leading him quickly to the other side of the room.

The Shion was quiet, his expression unreadable, as he allowed his master to lead him through her makeshift laboratory.

"Now where is it that old thing?" the master said rummaging through a dusty old box she hadn't been through in quite a long time. Zeito watched her as if confused by the girl before him. After many minutes of throwing various gadgets and clothing all about the the floor the Master finally managed to find what she was looking for.

"Here it is!" she said ripping out a dark red scarf from the bottom. She immediately dusted it off, a little embarrassed it was in such a shape. It was a little dirty, but a perfectly fine scarf. She threw it around the black and red Shion's shoulders and wrapped it around his neck gently, before stepping back to see how it looked.

She immediately frowned. When she had seen the Shion's black and red color scheme she thought her old red scarf would have fit perfectly. However the scarf now draped around the Shion was shades upon shades darker than the red in his coat. He now looked a bit off.

"Sorry Zeito, this is all I have on me right now" she said apologetically. "Until we can get you a better scarf, can you take care of this old thing for me?"

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_0_

The Master's request rang through Zeito's ears as he lay on the ground dying a week later.

He didn't understand why these had to be his last thoughts. He didn't even like his Master. In fact, he borderline hated her. She had ripped him from an error in Kaito's programing. Zeito had no other purpose in life other than to be Kaito's depressive side. No reason to live other than to be sad...

How had the Master thought that was a good idea?

But as Zeito had learned very quickly after a week with the Shion family, the Master rarely "thought". She was _very_ dumb and usually lept without thinking. She probably didn't even care to think how Zeito had felt about his creation. How he had been suicidal from day one. There was nothing about his Master that Zeito cared for.

And yet...

As blood pooled around his sides, Zeito looked to the old scarf his Master had given him. It lay a little out of his reach, rips and gashes all along it from the fight. She had asked him to look after that scarf and he had failed...

Something about this fact just tore Zeito up inside.

Zeito tried to will away the tears. He wanted to think about something else as he died. He didn't want this to be his last thought. He wanted to think about something pleasant for once. But he knew his coding would never allow for such a miracle.

Things began to get cold, the spinning room becoming dark. A figure rushed to his side and Zeito could vaguely hear yelling. But his mysterious savior had come too late. He couldn't identify the one standing over him. Or were there two people standing over him? He couldn't tell.

He let his eyes close, happy that he could finally be freed from the torment that life had caused him in his full week of existence.

The voices seemed to panic over him.

He didn't care.

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The Master couldn't help the terrified shriek as she walked into the room.

Kaito was holding a bleeding Zeito in his arms. Kaito's identical terrified face met his Masters.

"W-W-W-WHAT HAPPENED?!" She screamed. There was blood all around the living room. Paintings were screwed about the wall, the table was broken, the TV lay in pieces about the room. It looked like a tornado had come through.

"I-I-I-I DON'T KNOW!" Kaito stuttered in turn. "We heard crashes coming from the room, and we just found him like this!"

"AKAITO WHAT DID YOU DO?!" The Master screamed in fury rounding to the red one standing next to Kaito. Akaito immediately stiffened in fear and raised his hand defensively.

"I-I-I didn't do ANYTHING!" He stuttered

"You expect me to believe that after what you and Kikaito did to Zeito last wee-"

"Master it's true!" Kaito said in defense of his twin brother. "Akaito was with me the whole time. We both heard the crashing and came in together!"

The Master bit her lip as she looked at all the blood. Now was not the time to be arguing.

"It doesn't matter! Get him down to the labs immediately!"

"R-right!" Both Kaito and Akaito stuttered in unison as Akaito helped Kaito pick Zeito up. All three of them ran out of the room as quickly as they could.

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"Zeito, what happened?"

The glare that the master received in turn for the question was nothing new. Zeito always glared at his Master. The way his arms were crossed, and the disapproving look on his face, the Master could have sworn Zeito was pouting.

"Zeito, she's trying to help you..." Kaito said worriedly.

"So quit glaring at her and show some gratitude! She just saved your life!" Akaito spat.

Zeito's expression did not change. Instead he just sat up from the lab table and excused himself from the room.

"Z-Zeito!" The master called after him.

Zeito did not pause to turn around or even falter at her call. He was much too disappointed that he had been saved. How was he supposed to begin to tell them what had happened? How was he supposed to explain that Taito had just gone completely insane and attacked him... How he had defended himself.

Even if he did tell them all this, he doubted they would have believed him. He barely believed it himself. However, telling the Master anything about Taito was the last thing on Zeito's mind. He just wanted to find a dark corner and sulk.

Zeito entered the destroyed living room that no one had bothered to clean up. He vaguely wondered how much of the blood in the room was his own. His attention then focused on the pathetic scrap of fabric heaped on the ground in the middle of the room. Zeito grimaced as he approached it. He didn't want to see how badly damaged it was again.

Picking it up slowly, Zeito's heart sank. The scarf was in worse shape than he remembered it. It was in complete tatters. It didn't even resemble a scarf any more. Zeito gritted his teeth as he threw the battered thing around his neck and pretended it was fine.

Zeito then went into the darkest corner of the room and just crossed his arms. He closed his eyes trying to think of something nice, some sort of scene from nature, anything to get his mind of all of these horrible memories running through his head.

This was ridiculous! He had only been alive for a WEEK. How could he have accumulated so many bad memories in just a short of amount of time?

But that was his nature wasn't it? That's all the depressive side of a vocaloid had the ability to do...

"Zeito?"

Zeito twitched annoyed at the intrusion of his Master. Had he not made it VERY clear in the lab that he had wanted to be AWAY from her? Why couldn't the airhead get a clue for once?

The Master made her way tentatively towards her black Shion as he turned his back to her, trying to tell her what he was feeling with his body language. The Master immediately saw she was not wanted in this room.

"Zeito are you upset that I saved you?"

Zeito blinked before turning to his master with a surprised raised eyebrow. The master was usually so thickheaded. The fact that she had actually made a decent observation genuinely surprised Zeito.

The moment Zeito made eye contact with his master, his heart dropped for the second time that day. She wore a hurt expression that looked like it was the edge of bursting into tears. Zeito's eyes immediately glanced around the room panicked. He had to look anything! ANYTHING other than his master's sad face.

His eyes focused intently on the destroyed TV where Taito had smashed his head into earlier.

Zeito's averting eyes were all the confirmation the Master needed. She sighed.

"I know you hate it when I'm around" she said with a surprisingly steady voice. She glanced around the room just as Zeito had.

"I don't know what happened here but I get the feeling it was my fault somehow..."

She looked back at Zeito to take note he was not planning to look at her any time soon.

"So I'm going to go home early if it makes you happier..."

No reaction...

Zeito just continued to look at the TV. The Master hefted another sigh. She hated to see Zeito like this and yet, this was the only way she had seen Zeito all week. She was beginning to wonder if the Shion even had the ability to feel joy. All he ever seemed to do was stand in dark corners and sulk...

Maybe all the poor thing needed was something to pass the time with...

"I wanted to give this to you before I go..."

Zeito finally broke his eyes away from the television to look up at his Master. She was holding out a shiny black new yo-yo in her hands. She smiled at him.

"Maybe you can use it to pass the time till I get back...?"

Zeito continued to look at the yo-yo, to his master, and back to the yo-yo. Her smile never faltered. A hard glare set onto Zeito's features before he sharply turned his head in rejection.

The master blinked at Zeito's refusal of her gift.

"You...don't want it?" she asked sadly.

Zeito just shook his head refusing to look at her again.

"Why not?" was all she could ask. A large vein appeared on the side of Zeito's head. He had already said no! Why did his master have to push the issue instead of taking no for an answer?

Another glance at his master's face.

It was another mistake...

Zeito felt sick to his stomach looking at her pained face.

"I'll...break it..."

He said truthfully. He did not want to be made responsible for another one of his master's precious gifts. He had failed to protect her first one. What made this yo-yo any different?

The master's smile returned at this comment.

"You won't break it..." she stated "Plus, this yo-yo is yours to do with what you will~! If you'd like I c-"

The Master did not finish her sentence as Zeito snatched the yo-yo from her grasp violently and stormed out of the room not wishing to listen to his Master's voice any longer.

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Zeito glared daggers at the yo-yo as he stomped into the Shion gardens next to the white bench. Why did the Master have to keep giving him things? Especially stupid things like this he didn't even want!

As if he needed some lame toy to pass the time! Why did his master have to be so foolish?

He really should just throw this stupid thing away.

Zeito made a motion to chuck the small thing as far as he could into the garden, but at the last second, he faltered. Horribly annoyed with himself, he figured he might as well give the stupid thing a chance.

Instead of throwing it into the garden Zeito violently threw the yo-yo towards the ground, with the small string still attached around his finger.

He fully expected the yo-yo to bounce where he had thrown it and for it to come hurtling back into his face knowing his luck. Did yo-yos even "bounce"? He didn't know how the dumb things worked!

Zeito blinked at the sudden sharp whirring that reached his ears. He looked down at the yo-yo as it spun in place hovering above the ground. He didn't know yo-yos could do such a fascinating thing. He stared at the yo-yo as it it spun and spun, moving around and around, without even really moving at all.

Zeito then tugged his finger sharply upward and the yo-yo snapped from it's sleep mode and rocketed back to Zeito's hand as if he had meant to do said trick. Zeito stared confused by the now fascinating toy.

He hadn't even meant to and his first maneuver with the yo-yo had been a basic trick. He suddenly found himself becoming curious as to what other things yo-yos could do. He narrowed his eyes and threw the yo-yo again...

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Late that morning Kaito and Nigaito paused on their way to the Shion Manor to watch the Black Shion in the garden playing with his new yo-yo. He didn't seem to know what he was doing, seeing as the yo-yo kept dying and Zeito would be forced to wind it up again. However this only made Kaito smile as he could see the determination in Zeito's eyes. It seemed their Master had been wise to give the small toy to Zeito. His mind was finally on other things. ..

Early that afternoon, Taito exited the Shion premise only to pause when the Black Shion caught his eye. Zeito sat on the bench flipping through a tutorial book fervently, trying to figure out what to do next. Taito only glared at Zeito, not even caring the book's topic was on yo-yos. The only thing he cared to notice was that Zeito didn't have a single cut on him from their battle that morning whereas Taito was covered in freshly new bandages. Taito turned his head sharply in a pout and stomped off.

Late that afternoon, Akaito and Kikaito came back from the arcade and walked up the Shion steps. It was Akaito who paused to point Zeito out to Kikaito. Kikaito followed Akaito point to see the spectacle that was Zeito. Zeito was pulling trick after trick off with what appeared to be a black yo-yo. From where Akaito and Kikaito stood, they could not see the many bruises all up and down Zeito's arms and face where the yo-yo had hit him multiple times from trick screw ups.

"Damn. That's pretty cool" Akaito said impressed.

"Whatever" Kikaito said turning away from the scene and heading back inside with a disgruntled expression now on his face. Akaito stayed to watch for a few more minutes. Though he didn't know it himself, he too was happy for Zeito's new found hobby.

Early that evening, Zeito was alone in the garden once again. He was determined to pull off an advanced maneuver he had been attempted for many minutes. Most of his fingers were black and blue due to abuse from the yo-yo hitting them multiple times, but he didn't care much about the pain.

The yo-yo zipped around his head multiple times before Zeito caught the string and made a complex pattern with it using his fingers. He then tugged the yo-yo back to return to his hand, but right before the yo-yo reached his hand, it died and pathetically hung there...

Zeito frowned. He had been very close this time. The problem was he hadn't thrown it hard enough to maintain the sleep. He was frustrated because he had thrown the yo-yo as hard as he could.

Zeito bit his lip and took a step back after winding his yo-yo back up. He was determined to keep trying this if it took him all day. Zeito stomped his foot forward and threw the yo-yo forward with all his might.

The resulting _SNAP_ from the yo-yo string breaking in two made Zeito's blood run cold. He watched with horrified eyes as the black yo-yo clattered to the ground with what seemed like a deafening thud. Zeito blinked multiple times looking as the severed string still attached to his hand. His mind didn't seem to want to accept what he was seeing. More blinking and Zeito could feel the burning hot and silent tears running down his cheeks.

"_I'll break it"_

"_You won't break it..."_

His master had trusted him once again. And he had failed once more.

Zeito grabbed his head in a panic as he looked at the yo-yo on the ground. Was he only destined to destroy everything he touched? Why had his master saved him when all he did was bring misery to himself and others? Zeito didn't want this to be real. His world shattered along with the string of the yo-yo...

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The Master blinked that evening as there was a quiet knock on her door. Rarely anyone visited her at her home, yet alone at _this_ hour. She wondered if it was a good idea to answer the door or not.

"Z-Zeito?" she asked shocked wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her as she looked at the black Shion standing in her door way. Zeito refused to make eye contact with his Master as he held out the broken yo-yo to her.

The master blinked again and looked down at the broken toy in Zeito's hand.

"You broke it?" she asked, which only made Zeito flinch. The flinch was not lost on the Master as she looked to the yo-yo, to Zeito, and back to Zeito just as he had done to her earlier that day.

She then let out a sigh followed by laughter.

"Zeito, that yo-yo is nothing special. You can easily get a new one for a couple bucks down at the local toy store"

This sentence seemed to infuriate Zeito. He clenched his teeth together and roughly shoved the yo-yo back into his Master's face. The master seemed very confused by his actions. She tilted her head and looked up at Zeito. It was then that her eyes saw the ripped and tattered scarf draped around Zeito's neck.

"Ugh. That thing looks even more terrible on you. Instead of having me fix your yo-yo, why don't you have me replace your sca-"

The Master was interrupted as Zeito grabbed the Master's outreaching hand dangerously. He squeezed her wrist in warning before letting it go and taking a few steps away from her. The glare she was reviving was harsher than usual and it scared her slightly.

"Never mind...it's stupid"

Zeito finally hissed as he pocked the yo-yo and an anguished expression took over his features. It had taken all of Zeito's courage and pride to actually come here. Now that he was finally here make a fool of himself, he felt horribly embarrassed. He should have known no good would come from coming here.

Zeito turned sharply and began to stomp down the Master's porch stairs.

"Zeito! W-wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean t-" The Master dashed out to catch him. However, in her haste, she instantly tripped over the first step on the stairs and fell forward. Zeito turned in slow motion as he watched his Master fall.

The Shion Master was very accident prone. It was not a rare sight to see her tripping over small things she left all over the house. Many of the Shions did their best to clean up after her since she rarely did herself. Yet despite this, she was still tripping and slipping on every little thing.

That was until Zeito was created...

Since his creation, the Master had been one week accident free. Or...that was to say that accidents still DID happen. They were just...interrupted.

The Master blinked as Zeito caught her for the hundredth time that week. Whenever she fell he always seemed to be by her side. She looked up into Zeito's face as he looked down at her. She could n't at all help the small blush that graced her features at how close they were.

"Thank you..." she smiled. "It seems you're always saving me"

Zeito's face immediately lit up into shades of red and he shoved her quickly away from him realizing how close they had been. The Master miraculously did not fall over from the shove. Instead she extended her hand.

"I'm sorry Zeito. I didn't realize how much that yo-yo meant to you. If you'll let me I'll be happy to fix it"

Zeito nodded and reached back into his pocket to give her the yo yo. The Master looked to the broken string.

"Haha! Easy fix! Just need to replace the string. Shouldn't take me more than a minute! You stay right here! I'll be right back!" She said gleefully running back towards her home. She nearly tripped on the stairs again but she caught herself just in time.

Zeito watched her go, screaming at himself to stop blushing.

"Idiot!"

He snapped at his Master as he crossed his arms and turned away like the tsundere he was.

His blush never lightened.


End file.
